Buried Alive
by ForgiveNarf
Summary: AU: Missing parts of her memories Kagome tries to piece together what she's missed while frozen in time for 60 years. What she learns only makes her wish she was back inside her frozen tomb. Rated for language. Pairing Inu/Kag Almost complete!
1. Chapter 1

Ok so my first story, Not sure how well this is going to go over. But give me some time to pull it all together!

Hope you enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha...or anyone else.

Buried Alive

Chapter One

Staring at the white wall in front of me, I consider the question I've just been asked. Other than the fact that I'm in a white room with 4 walls and a video camera in one corner, I have no idea where I'm at. I'm not sure what these people want with me or why they are asking so many questions.

"Lal, answer the question." The lady over the intercom demands. "What is your greatest fear?" She asks me again as if I've forgotten. They have asked me so many questions that I'm having a hard time remembering what lies I've told. I know they think my name is Lal, it's not, but it's not like I'm going to tell them that. I contemplate the answer to their question. It is an easy one so I decide to give them what they want.

"My biggest fear is spiders." I say loud enough for them to hear. It was a lie, but it would suffice for now. So far I'd be smart and kept my mouth shut. I only spoke when spoken to so to keep my sarcasm from getting me into trouble. I was still trying to analyze just how much trouble I was in. I knew it couldn't be too good seeing as I was in a room with no doors and I was being interrogated to no end. I walk to the wall in front of me and knock on it. Just as I figured. Solid. I checked the others but they were the same. I go back to the middle of the room and take a seat on the white solid floor.

The room was bright but it was impossible to tell where the light was coming from. looked up but the ceiling just kept going, or at least it looked that way. The room however was not the only mystery. I look down at my outfit. It is almost similar to scrubs from a hospital. With, of course, a few exceptions. One being that it had no cute little penguins on it or and such thing of the like. It was the same plain white of the room. I would blend in with the walls if it wasn't for my dark raven hair and nicely tanned skin.

I try to remember why I'm here. I remember home, and mom, Souta, and grandpa. It was hard to think of my friends, I hadn't seen them in years. Names and faces were scattered in my memory. None of them matching up quite right. I was getting annoyed at not being able to answer my own questions. So I decided to be bold and ask some of my questions aloud.

"Why am I here?" I ask loudly. It is quiet for a long moment and I figure they weren't going to answer my questions. Shockingly though a voice comes over the intercom. This one male.

"You are the chosen one." I go still, and think about what that means.

"Oh, yeah, where have I heard that one before?" I give a carefree laugh then pull my legs up to my chest and rest my chin on my knees.

"You're a clever one aren't you?" the voice chilled me to the bone, but apparently that wasn't enough for me to lose my sense of humor.

"You know it's kind of hard to answer all of these questions on an empty stomach." I smirk up at the camera, "And I could really use a trip to the john." I stop waiting for a reply then remembering my manners add. "If that's not to much to ask for." It's quiet again, this time the silence lasts longer. I rest my head back on my knees and sit patiently waiting hoping they haven't just given up on me and left. There is a loud noise above me causing me to jump to my feet. I fear the worst for a second, but nothing happens. There's the sound of a motor running somewhere above me, I look up. Then a small door opens above me and an oversize ladder drops down right in front of me. It hits the ground with a loud bang, making me jump a bit. I stand there waiting for it to come to life and attack me, but nothing happens.

"Let's go Kagome, your food is getting cold." I'm shocked for a moment at the sound of my name, my real name, but I jump up and start climbing the ladder anyway. As I start my climb I realize it's not just one or two flights, more like six. At least I'll know I earned my food. After about the third flight up I pass through a thin white partition. Behind it are row upon row of giant flood lights. This would be the unbinding light that was keeping my cell nice and bright. I climb past the partition and the ladder below me starts to rise. I pick up my pace not wanting to have my fingers smashed.

As I near the top I start to hear voices, and I'm not talking about the type in your head. Above me is a metal grid with a square opening. I climb up and stop onto the landing. I waited as people rushed around me. They cuffed me and then blindfolded me. As we walked I tried to keep tabs on my location. I knew we'd taken 2 lefts, a right another left, right, straight for a long time then a left, but then I tried to remember what I said first and I got confused. I was lost, but I did know one thing, this place was huge. Or they were trying to confuse me. Finally we stopped and they took off the cuffs and blindfolds. I was directed to a bathroom where I took care of business. It was a small room and I was disgusted by the lack of a sink.

Next I was taken to a large room with a mural on one wall and windows lining the other. Though I couldn't see outside because of the blinds. There was one table in this room, it was rather over sized for two people. Me and a man that sat patiently in one chair, leaving only one open seat at the over sized table. As I took my seat to his right he looked up at me and smiled. It was a dark smile one that gave me chills down my back, but I resisted the urge to look away. Instead I smiled back. He motioned to the table and I finally notice that the table is lined with dishes of food. I dig in, no prayers, no manners, just me eating ravenously. I take a fork full of turkey, a giant serving of mashed potatoes, a roll for each hand and a glass of wine.

I eat until my hunger subsides and then eat a little more. I'm not sure when I'll be eating again, or if I'll even make it to the next meal. I gulp down my wine and pour me another glass. I look up at the man sitting next to me. He's eating too, but his manners make him look like royalty. He dabs at the side of his mouth after drinking and only takes small bites that would be pointless to chew. Yet he chews each time thoroughly.

"What's your name?" My boldness surprises even me, but he just looks bemused. Like this is all some kind of joke.

"Naraku." His voice is graceful and elegant and I decide that his parents must have been swans. "Tell me Kagome, do you prefer to go by Lal? Or maybe Maria? Or what about Tammy?" A smirk forms on his perfect mouth and I'm tempted to slap him. I don't of course. He knows I've lied, every word I've said for the past three hours, all lies. I wonder why they even asked the questions in the first place if they already knew everything about me.

"How's the business going?" He asks referring to my hobby, which happens to be making and selling fake IDs.

"Well, I'm filthy rich, if that's what you mean." I pause for dramatics, "But you don't want me for my money do you?" he shook his head, I continued, "And your not a cop." He shook his head again. "If not my money, then what do I have that you want?"

He contemplates my question, scratching his chin, looking up, the he leans in closer to me. "You're the one they're looking for." I give him a funny look and he laughs, the sound is seriously the scariest thing I've ever heard. "It was only a matter of time before they were to come and get you. I just got to you first."

"Ok so I know I speak fluent english and all, but you're going to have to run that one by me again." I take large gulp off my wine knowing I'm going to need the buzz.

"Kagome you are being sought out by many powerful people," He waited for a second to make sure I was grasping what he was saying, and I was...mostly. "These people from your world and mine want you Kagome, and they will do anything to get you."

"OK, that part I get, cause I'm a pretty awesome person, but i know that's not the real reason, so why?" I stop then ask again for good measure. "Why do they want me?"

"Kagome, you are the only person in the universe that can stop the world from becoming non-existant." Naraku spoke slowly drawing out every word.

"Well how about that?" I smile, "I'm famous...even if it is for a bogus reason." I thought about this for a moment and then asked another question. "Why me? Why am I the...chosen one?"

"Long ago, your world used to have an abundance of power, abilities beyond belief, but only certain people had these powers. The ones who didn't got scared, and so they started killing your kind off." He paused watching me for a reaction I give him the 'go ahead' signal and he continues. "You are the last of your kind left, and you are the only one able to stop the end of the world."

"Huh, that's interesting." I think about actually having cool powers, like fire, or ice, I was never really big on sci-fi as a kid. "What kind of powers?"

Something the likes of your kind haven't seen for centuries." Naraku was growing tired I could tell, he was growing annoyed with me.

"Ok, well let's say I believe you, and I do have these powers." I look around the room. "What do I get out of helping you?"

"Kagome if you help me I'll give you whatever you want." I ponder his alluring words. There are several things I wanted. Like, if I did save the Earth could I rename it Bob? or even a million dollars, nah to simplistic, I needed something that would get me somewhere. I couldn't think of anything really good so I just said the thing I wanted most right now.

"I want to go home." I decided.

"Very well." Naraku nodded. We were interrupted as a man who looked very much like how I pictured Hitler in my mind entered the room. He crossed the room and handed Naraku a note.

"Kagome, what are your views on action movies?" Naraku asked and I was unsure what he meant.

"They can be awesome...why?" I quirk my eyebrow and he smirks.

"Come with me and you might even be staring in your own action film. You do know how to defend yourself?" He asked as an off note.

"Yep" I rose and so did Naraku, he started off down a corridor and I followed, only this time with no cuffs or blindfold. "This could be interesting." I murmer as I follow Naraku. We went through 3 coded doors and I realized just how high-tech this place was. Impressive.

"OK Kagome when we get to this next room I want you to be aware." Naraku advised. "If you can defend yourself go ahead if you feel you can't there will be a trap door at the back of the room, feel free to use it." I nodded and he uncoded the next door. We entered the room and all of the guards that were with us left. Naraku went up to a big black screen and powered it on. I stood back to watch only as a spectator. I positioned myself a few steps away from the trap door knowing I intended to use it. I just hoped it led outside. I had no intentions of helping someone who'd held me prisoner. The black screen came on and there was a giant face on it. I was shocked to see it was a person. It was like web cam almost.

"Hello Naraku." The voice was pleasant, making me think they might be old acquaintances.

"InuYasha, back so soon?" Naraku smirked.

"Do you still have her?" InuYasha asked with a hit of sarcasm.

"But of course." Naraku nodded.

"Well then yea, I'm back." InuYasha agreed. I was enjoying this conversation it was a distraction.

"Do you want to see her?" Naraku offered, "Or do you trust me?"

"I'd never trust you Naraku." InuYasha confessed.

"Well then, I show her to you," Naraku paused, " That way when you lose you know that it'll only be a matter of time before you and your kind are finished." I was trying to understand what was being said, but no one was explaining properly, and I found I was being left behind. "Kagome, come here." I didn't want to move away from my escape, but I also didn't want to brake my facade. I walk to Naraku and stood by his side. He smiled at me and I forced a smile in return.

"She's mine InuYasha, we have an agreement." I made eye contact with InuYasha and winked at him. I was trying to get his attention so he'd know just how badly I want out of this mess. He frowned at me in disapproval then looked back to Naraku.

"Are you sure this is her?" InuYasha asked, "I thought she was supposed to be the descendant of a beautiful miko?" I took the comment gracefully but inside I was ready to beat the shit out of that cocky son of a--. My thoughts we broken off by Naraku who had placed one of his hands on my head and was now stroking my hair. Gross!

"Really InuYasha you have no sense of true beauty." Naraku smiled warmly down at me. "She really is quite witty too. I gave him a fake smile. "She's quite the negotiator too." He let me go and I stepped back. "I get you, and your planet dead and she gets to go home."

"You can't promise that!" InuYasha sounded incredulous, "It's impossible!" I slowly started to inch backwards, as slowly as possible so as not to draw attention to myself. I didn't want to destroy anyone, maybe beat the crap out of InuYasha for his earlier comment, but not kill. I was 3 feet from the escape now and Naraku still hadn't noticed I was gone. I listened for a moment to see where this conversation had gone.

"...going to regret this very much." InuYasha growled slightly.

"I'm not so sure, I'm enjoying it so far." Naraku's voice hinted victory but I'd missed to much of the conversation to grasp it.

"Are you enjoying it now?" InuYasha asked only the InuYasha on the screen didn't speak, it was the InuYasha behind me that now held a gun to the back of my head.


	2. Chapter 2

This goes to my one and only reviewer! Thank you lizzie! Hope you like this one too!

Disclaimer: Don't own Inu and co!

Chapter 2 Getting Answers

"Wow InuYasha, I didn't know you were clever." Naraku didn't seem worried.

"Yea well, I have my perks." InuYasha smirked, he grabbed me and pulled me to him adjusting the gun so it was now at the side of my head. I smirked, this was perfect, I could get out of this.

"How do you plan on escaping?" Naraku questioned.

"Oh, you know, the same way I got in here." InuYasha grinned. "Nice trap door by the way."

"Kagome, dear, do you know what this man wants with you?" Naraku asked me and gave me a look. I took it as my cue to do what I said I was capable of. I nodded and using the three simple rules I'd leaned in self defence class I took InuYasha out. Now I had the gun and InuYasha was on the ground. I moved away from him and went over behind Naraku. He smiled at me and I nodded. InuYasha looked at me incredulously and I winked at him again. He frowned again like he had earlier got up off the ground and turned to Naraku weaponless.

"How does it feel to be shown up by a girl?" Naraku asked smugly and I took the distraction to make my move and show InuYasha who's side I was really on.

"I don't know," InuYasha shrugged, "Why don't you tell me." InuYasha waved his hand in my direction and smirked. Naraku turned to me and was shocked by the gun pointed in between his eyes.

"Now Kagome, I thought we had a deal." Naraku said sweetly.

"Yea well I don't tend to keep my word, you know, being a felon and all." I smiled and tilted my head to the side I backed up and me and InuYasha headed to the trap door. There was a noise at the door and all attention went there.

"Kagome we don't have time to finish this." InuYasha said when I stopped and held the gun up to Naraku's head. "I promise you that we can kill him later." I fired two shots and Naraku fell to the floor in agony. InuYasha grabbed me and pulled me back to the trap door. I heard Naraku scream in annoyed pain at me but my head was pounding and I didn't catch a word of it.

InuYasha pulled me through the trap door and we bolted down the small cramped pathway.

"Is he dead?" InuYasha asked behind me as we ran.

"Sadly, no, I shot him in the knees, so he couldn't follow us." I smiled at my genius. "It'll take the guards at the door another 4 minutes to get through." I said remembering how long it took us to get through the 4 coded doors.

"Good thinking." After another couple of minutes of running as fast as we could InuYasha told me to stop. He showed me a ventilation shaft off the side of the pathway. "This will lead you out."

"Where are you going?" I ask not sure I want to be alone.

"I have to go take care of something." He gave me a warm smile.

"Keep the gun and trust no one." He instructed me, "When you get outside find Sesshomaru, he's my brother." He started off down the pathway, "Remember don't trust anyone till you're with him."

"Ok, good luck!" I called after him and then got inside the ventalation shaft and made my way out.

The gun clanked against the metal of the shaft as I crawled on my hands and knees to the exit. It took a good 10 minutes for me to find the end of the shaft. I poked my head out of the opening and looked left and right. There was no one outside. I crawled out and smiled. I was free! I closed my eye and took a deep breath of fresh air. I looked around me wondering where I should go. To my left was the building and to my right a forest. I decided on the forest because it would provide me coverage. The building was bigger than I could have ever guessed. I headed away from its towering shadow and into the refuge of the shady woods. I wasn't into the woods 5 yards when I was surrounded. I felt like an idiot. I held my gun up and turned in a circle counting them. There were ten of them and one of me. I knew I had less than 6 shots left so I could only take out about half of them but I'd still lose in the end. I cursed InuYasha aloud and they all moved closer, why had he left me?

"What did you say?" one of them asked, they were all dressed identically but I could tell that the one who'd spoken was a girl. I didn't reply, I didn't see a reason why I should. "We're not going to hurt you." The female voice said again, I spotted the girl she was to my right she put her hands out in surrender and the others did the same. They came closer and I shifted and pointed my gun at the girl. I guessed she was their leader.

"How can I trust you?" I asked suspiciously.

"You don't really have a choice." the girl replied.

"I need to speak with some one." I said, "I won't trust any of you until I find this person." The girl in front of me nodded and turned to walk away.

"Follow us," She said, "I think I know who you seek." I waited for the rest of them to pass before I started walking. I followed them and almost lost them a few times. They were very quiet. Almost like they could be invisible. They weren't the only ones quiet thought, I took note that there were almost no noises beyond my own feet stepping loudly in the leaves. There were no animals in this forest. I wondered why. It was clear that they knew where they were and where they were going. I kept up barely, trying to formulate a plan if they were to lead me into a trap. I hadn't come up with one yet. I also thought about how I would know Sesshomaru if I saw him. Would he look like InuYasha? InuYasha had said they were brothers, so maybe he'd have the same hair. It was hard to forget the hair. It's silvery white color had almost blinded me when I first saw it. I thought about InuYasha some more, what other features did he have that I could look for in Sesshomaru. Then I remembered something odd. InuYasha had had ears on his head, not human ears either. Dog ears, or maybe cat, it could possibly be either.

Soon, as we walked deeper and deeper into the woods I started hearing something. It sounded like static at first, like when you can't quite find the station you're looking for. That was the sound I heard. Then as I ran to catch up with the group for the hundredth time I figured out what it really was. They were talking to one another. I'd never seen or heard anything like it before. I listened closely as they exchanged words, or signals, whatever they were, it was so unnormal I didn't know what to make of it. I tried to comprehend how this could be happening, but my brain just couldn't wrap itself around the concept.

I wanted to ask them about it but before I had the chance we walk into a clearing and I'm shocked by all the people. It was like a base camp. That wasn't even the worse part. There was something about these people that was going to make finding Sesshomaru hard. They all looked like InuYasha. They all had the silvery white hair and dog, or cat, ears on their heads. They all walked around moving fast as if they all have somewhere important to be. They wore the same outfits as the people in the group did only without the head gear. I was standing stock still in the midst of them all staring with my mouth hung wide open. I didn't know what to say.

Suddenly everyone stopped. They all looked at me. I blushed being the center of attention was one thing I wasn't very good at. I laughed and tried to make myself disappear. I wished silently for the earth to open up and swallow me. It didn't happen.

"Come this way." Said the girl who'd led me here. I waited for a moment, keeping a firm grip on my gun I followed her. She led me to a set of stair that let to a tent. It was less like a tent though, more like a mini building. It appeared to be made of metal but I could be wrong. Not like I haven't been wrong before. She showed me to the door and I walked in alone. I was welcomed by the natural smell of lemongrass. It wasn't strong but it was obvious. I came in a few feet and then a man stepped through a door on the opposite wall. He smiled.

"I'm Sesshomaru, can I help you?" He was polite, but I could tell he wasn't always that way. His eyes were cold, but his smile said differently. He had purple marks on his high cheekbones and a cresent moon shape on his forhead. He unlike InuYasha had no ears on his head, but I could tell. There was definitally a family similarity. It was the power behind his eyes. The same power I saw behind InuYasha's kinder eyes.

"I'm Kagome, InuYasha told me to find you." I didn't know if I said the right thing but he smiled a vacant smile and nodded.

"You must be the one." He took a seat on a throne of sorts and I wondered if her was a king.

"That's what I've been told." I tried to laugh it off but didn't succeed. I'd lost all of my previous zeal.

"Take a seat." He gestured to a pile of pillows on the floor and I approached him and complied. "I'm not going to complicate things for you right now, but soon I will explain to you why you are so sought after."

I nodded not knowing what to say. I blushed again, something that isn't common for me, yet I've done it twice in the last few minutes.

"If you have other questions feel free to ask." He got comfy and I took a moment to ponder all of the questions I'd been wanting to ask for the last few hours.

"Where are we?" I asked first I needed to figure a few things out before I asked the complicated questions.

"Well at the moment we reside on planet (Enter planet name of choice here)." He answered and I gave him a look of pure confusion.

"What is the year?" I had never before heard of planet (Enter planet name of choice here) before in my life.

"Kagome, I couldn't tell you that, on my planet we don't count time in years, we use moon cycles."

"So like 29-30 days to a year?" I almost laughed aloud he must be hundreds of years old!

"No, it would be to complicated for you to understand, you may ask InuYasha when he comes back." Sesshomaru folded his hands in his lap.

"Where is InuYasha?" I asked and with out stopping also added, "He said he had something to take care of inside of that building. What was it?"

"InuYasha is getting rid of the competition." Sesshomaru explained almost bluntly.

"You mean killing them?" He nodded, "Why are they competition?"

"They are after you Kagome, therefore they must be stopped."

"How do I know you are the good guys?" I asked quirking an eyebrow. "What if the real good guys are out to get you?"

"Kagome things have changed alot since you've been on earth." He sounded annoyed as if I was a child asking why the sky was blue.

"As you can probably tell I'm not human," I nodded that was an obvious statement. "And neither is InuYasha, but we work for your government, we are here to get you and take you back to earth."

"That's what you say." I was teasing but he took me seriously.

"I'm sorry Kagome but at this moment I have no way of proving my loyalties to you." another question popped into my head and I pushed aside the loyalty matters for later discussion.

"Why do you guys talk funny?" I asked refering to the static conversation I witnessed earlier. Sesshomru gave me a funny look then his eyes widened.

"You could hear that?" He looked on me as if I was the 8th world wonder. "The static noise?"

"Yea, It took a few minutes, but I heard it all right." I frowned. "Can't everyone?"

"No Kagome everyone can't, the way we speek is special." Sesshomaru thought about something for a moment and I waited patiently. "We have highly educated launguages now days. In our world we speak in a series of high pitched electric signals to one another. A normal human wouldn't be able to even hear it. Your animals are capable, especially your dogs, but not humans." He scratched his chin and I see that I've stumped him. "This is incredible."

"So does everyone on your planet look like you and InuYasha?" I asked even more curious about these strange people.

"Oh, no, InuYasha and I are brothers." He waved a hand as if I were stupid for asking such a question.

"But then, why does everyone out there look like InuYasha?" He thought for a moment then smiled as if something just hit him.

"Oh, those are just sergical faces." He smiled at my befuddled look. "They are all human like you they just have masks on, so incase we are found InuYasha's identity will be concealed."

"I see." I nodded slowly, still not comprehending it all, oh well, I'd figure it out soon.

"No more questions for now, feel free to roam the grounds but don't go to far." He warned and I knew I was dismissed. I got up and made my way to the exit. At least I had a few questions answered. I'd get more later, hopefully.

End Chapter.

So...how'd you like it? Tell me...as if review...asap! or don't...if you wanna make me cry...lol just kidding...no seriously...review...or else! hehe!


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: You guessed it I don't own InuYasha, or company.

Chapter 3 Going Home

I did exactly as Sesshomaru advised and roamed the grounds for a bit. I wanted nothing more than to understand what was going on. I watched as the men and women went about their work. Getting a closer look now I could see that all the men looked exactly like InuYasha and the women all looked the same too only a bit more feminine. I didn't understand the reason why, or how for that matter. They couldn't be masks, they were far too convincing. It looked like everyone had gotten their faces surgically altered just for this, and just to save me. Which didn't seem right. Why was I so important? I only pondered this question for a moment, not thinking it was all to important, must be just a fluke of luck on my part.

I didn't like being so important, in my line of business that was a bad thing. If everyone knew who I was eventually the cops would find out. Though I did have a feeling these people were higher than cops. I was thinking CIA, but I was sure I was wrong, it didn't seem like something our government--even the secret parts--would do. Especially the way these people looked. I looked around at all the white fuzzy ears. They couldn't be human. No way. Feeling to shy to approach any of them and ask I wandered the camp. I listened only partially to the conversations taking place, all in InuYasha's voice. I couldn't make any sense of what I was seeing, and a part of me didn't want to. I ventured into the forest a little ways but stayed in sight of the fluffy eared people. I thought about what Naraku had told me. It did make sense that if I was important these people would be as anxious to have me as well as Naraku had me. The only thing that had me wondering was why did these guys let me walk freely? They hadn't tied me up or anything. Were these the good guys? Or were they all just competing to capture me like some demented game of capture the flag? I had to many question racing through my head and no answers for any of the ones that were pestering my the most.

I heard a noise in the distance, like a rapid fire M16 but it had more of an electrical sound to it reminding me of a video game I used to play with my younger brother. There was no way anybody in this place was human, except for me that is. Maybe they were aliens, from an alien planet, and that was why they all looked the same. I laughed at my absured idea and brushed that thought off as fast as it had come to mind. I hoped the sound meant InuYasha was on his way. I had a few questions for him. Hopefully he would be as open as his brother was, but not as easily annoyed. I really wanted to know why they were only using his identity, when his brother seemed just as different from the human race. It was intriguing but I didn't bother to ask. The gun shots got closer and the InuYasha look alikes began to pack up their things knowing the time to leave was at hand. I wanted to go find one and force them to tell me what was going on, but I didn't think they'd comply to an angry crazy lady.

One of them called for me in a clipped tone that sounded metallic--like a machine talking to me--I walked out of the forest and into the camp. The one who was looking for me was a girl. She approached me when she saw me walk out of the forest and into the clearing. She escorted me to a nearby spacecraft, I watched her as she walked and noticed the awkward way her feet were shaped, I didn't know what it meant but it wasn't something normal. This led me to believe that these people were not human, what ever they were I had no choice but to trust them. I recieved a slight shock by the space ship set far into the distance away from where I'd been wondering. What confused me the most what the circle on the side. I could tell what it was by the NASA emblem depicted and I knew this meant that these things were the good guys. I was led inside and then taken to a holding area. I took a seat in the only chair available and waited. I was alone and that was how they left me. After the passing of five minutes an InuYasha look alike, or maybe the real InuYasha, joined me and taught me how to buckle in so I wouldn't be freely floating about during take off. As he spoke and instucted me in fastening my belt I knew it wasn't the real InuYasha. His tone was just as clipped as the girls had been earlier and just as metallic. It creeped me out, I wasn't used to machines talking to me. I did as I was told and sat in my overly cushioned chair. I was given no other instuction but to just sit and wait for take off. I assumed it wouldn't take long and so I sat back and allowed questions to dance through my head again.

I was confused for a moment, if this ship was taking me back to earth, then where was I? I knew it had to be a carbon based planet or else there would have been no way that I could breath outside these walls. I thought of all the science classes I'd taken in high school, before I'd dropped out of course, and I never remembered a planet in our solar system that was carbon based. With that in mind I took some time to pondered my own personal questions for a long time waiting for something to happen. The InuYasha look-a-like left me there in my own room alone and I had nothing better to do. Feeling more than just slightly confused I closed my eyes and waited for something interesting to happen. It was silent for a while then I heard the loud screech of metal scraping on metal. I covered my ears to block out the ringing. Dizziness made me sway in my seat the restaints on my shoulders the only thing supporting my dead weight. Then after moments of holding onto my head to keep me from losing my mind the noise dwindled down into nothingness. Composing myself I sighed in relief and only just after my hands were rested on either side of my body I was sent into another new kind of pain. The pain covered my body from my head to my toes. I screamed out in pain, but it didn't seem to help. Surpressing the curse words that would have otherwise gratefully slewn from my lips I wrapped my arms around my stomach which felt like it would explode at any given moment and gritted my teeth. My head started to ache in a way that matched the near exploding eruption in my stomach.

The pressure built up and I was helpless against the relentless pounding inside my body. In my efforts to ignore the ever growing pain that seemed to encompass my entire body I didn't notice the InuYasha that had cme through the cabin door behind me. He took in my appearance for only a moment and then with inhumane speed he was by my side. It only took a quarter of a second for him to appraise my face before a worried expression covered his face. I worried also for a moment, what if there was nothing he could do to stop the pain? What if he didn't want to stop the pain? Panic shook my body, were these aliens going to test me in some way to see how long I could survive insufferable pain? I felt his hand on mine and jumped, his face contorted into a soft smile, and for some reason all my fears left me. I was trying to smile back despite the pain and in my struggles I failed to notice him pull something from his pocket. I only had half a second to react to the over-sized needle in his hands and the sad smile on his face, before he stuck it into my arm and shot whatever the substance was into my viens. In seconds the fluid was racing through my body it hurt like a burning fire running through my veins and then any and all feelings left my body.

"It's gonna be ok, I promise." His soft voice had caught my attention, the only bit that I could spare. He was the real InuYasha, his voice didn't sound the least bit robotic and that made me relax with the relief of the pain reliever now coursing through my body. I could barely keep my eyes open to watch as InuYasha watched me to make sure I was still alive. He gently brushed the hair from my face and frowned. His brows knit together and a grimace lined his mouth. I wondered what he'd noticed about me that made him frown in such a way. I **wanted** to ask him what was wrong with me but my mouth had went slack and I didn't have the strength for the question. I remember him standing there next to me, seemingly unaffected by our take off and then after his hand moved from my face I dropped off into a deep sleep. My body not knowing what else it could do, so to relieve myself of the weakness now settled into my bones I'd lost all consciousness.

End

Ok so it's not a great big long chapter, but i was short on time, hope you enjoy, review please!


	4. Chapter 4

Many thanks to Lizzie Leigh for the support, this one's for you!

Disclaimer: don't own InuYasha and company.

Chapter 4 Trapped

Consciousness comes too me some time in the middle of the night, or so it seems. At first I only vaguely remember what's happened to me and I'm thinking it was only a dream. That I made the whole thing up. I sit up in a comfy bed and look around me. I'm back home at my flat in New York. I glance around my dirty room in confusion. The memories of my kidnap and rescue was all a dream? I couldn't believe that though for one good reason. On my wrist a black bracelet that appears to be a clock of some sort ticks in a metronomic rhythm. I pull at it trying to get if off but it won't budge. Glaring down at the little contraption, I pull the covers back and pushed myself to my feet. Slowly and cautiously I walk across the hardwood floor. One board creaks and old memories fall back into my mind. This was my home. I went to the door and turned the knob but got no results. I was trapped. I pulled on the door more forcefully but it didn't budge. I stuck my fingers in the small gap between the door and the frame and worked at that angle for a moment hoping the lock would pop. To no avail I worked to free myself from this prison. As my fingers scraped across the wood they picked up several splinters that quickly split my skin causing them to bleed. I pull them from the door and drag the tips across my pants to remove the access blood. The reddish brown stains on my thighs looked like scratches that were caused by a wild animal. I grimace down at the ruined pants but quickly dismiss the thought. I leave the door standing, there's really no possible way it's going to miraculously open for any of my wild techniques.

I look around my room and soon I am over at my window. It opens with a loud squeaking noise due to disuse. I cringe at the sound but I'm free nonetheless. I climb out onto the small window pane. I'm not exactly afraid of heights, but I do keep in mind that it will probably kill me if I fall. I slowly lower myself till I'm crouched on the outer ledge of my window pane. I look around debating my next move. I'm eight stories above the ground. As I look down all I see is a red Corvette and a sidewalk. There's no one out walking which just seems typical. If I was in here having a heated conversation with someone everyone would be out trying to listen in. The perks of a small community. I debate my chances of escaping this way and I find that I'd rather live than take the risk that comes with jumping. Slipping back into my room I throw myself on my bed and wait for something to happen.

It seems like hours before I finally grow bored of doing nothing. I've given up completely at trying to get the gadget off my wrist. It drives me nuts to look at it so I keep my arm at my side and try to ignore the barely audible ticking it gives off. I'm not sure of the time--it appears that this "watch" only has random numbers nothing that could possible make sense without my having first read the manual for the device--but I do know that I'm sick of being stuck inside this room. I go to my dresser. I search around in the bottom drawer and find my lock picking kit. Now normally I never use this when I'm on the inside of a room, but it seems that this situation calls for my more creative skills. I go to the door and start fidgeting with the key hole. An idea pops into my head randomly and I pull a credit card from the kit. I slide it into the hole by the handle and angle it a bit. The door swings open with little effort on my end. Hours spent doing nothing seem pointless now but I push aside the silly feeling. The small but neat living area I'm used to is the same as I remember, nothing moved or missing as far as I can tell. I check the door handle from this side of the door. It seems that is was only smashed a bit, probably the cause of it not opening. I wondered how it came to be damaged and when I heard a beep from my wrist I knew. Where had InuYasha gone? I moved into my living area fully but there was no sign of anyone having been here. I'm curious as to why I'm back at my home with no explanation from the people who rescued me. Maybe they hope to be rid of me. Though I could not see why.

At the emptiness of my own home I am almost instantly ready to leave. I look down at the band on my wrist. The green glow of the back light makes me wonder, but even more so I'm curious about the numbers. I've noticed a pattern. They only change when I'm moving. I figure they could possibly be coordinates, and someone is tracking me. Leaving my home is about as good a prospect I can think of so I grab the set of keys to my mustang and head for the door. The minute I've placed my hand on the knob turned it and allowed the door to swing open I am bombarded by noise. Above me in the hallway outside the door is a red flashing light like one on a cop car, there is a loud warning sent out over a speaker above as well, "Warning: Leaving these premises will result in a violation of the law.". The metallic voice sounded serious but I really could care less. I looked out the door to the left and right. The coast was clear, I took a right knowing somewhere in my gut that the elevator was a trap. Reaching the end of the hall I opened the door to the stairwell and took them three at a time. Figuring it wouldn't take long for "The Law" to arrive and take me in for the eccentric reason of my leaving my room, I raced down the stairs and out of the building as fast as I possibly could.

As soon as I was through the double door entrance I was stopped in my tracks. I suddenly understood what it was the metallic voice had warned me of. Looking around and taking in my surrounding I was for the first time in my life stunned in place--willingly at least. From eight stories up it would have been impossible to see but now as I stood before it I was afraid. The high class town that I'd lived in for so long was no longer what it used to be. This made me wonder just how long I'd been held prisoner. It was a ruin that stood before me. Not the same great neighborhood it used to be, and no where near the standards of a town. I wondered what had happened to this place, maybe something the government had done to it? I took in the sight, cars overturned, trash littering the roads, trees burned to stubs, graffiti lining every wall of every building. I heard the engine of a big truck somewhere off in the distance and started walking in the direction of the noise. As I was making my way down the trashed street I heard a strange noise pick up behind me. At first I thought maybe I was hearing things, I glanced over my shoulder and searched the clearing. There was nothing there that I hadn't already seen. I shrugged the icy chill out of my spine and continued on with my walk that so far hadn't led me anywhere. The city was much more vast with no one left in it. I was curious as to what had happened. The destruction I saw before me couldn't have been overnight. I realized in that assumption that I had been gone for more than a few days. I didn't feel older at all, so I figured it couldn't have been that long.

On that thought I got an idea. I spotted a pay phone a couple meters away. It was worth a try. Knowing I had no way to pay for a phone call I hurried over to the booth, my hopes hadn't been to high. I picked up the receiver but the line--as I suspected it would be--was dead. My hopes squandered I placed the receiver back on the hook and got out of the booth. I still heard the sound of a motor as I continued walking through the disaster of a town. I didn't know if maybe it was my imagination, or if the vehicle was idle and waiting for something. I wasn't the least bit scared or nervous, I guess all in all I should have been. After all, with all the chaos surrounding me the motor could be that of a killing machine. I could be headed to my own demise. For some reason, even with these thoughts running through my mind, fear was the last emotion on my mind. I was too confused and curious to care enough. My footsteps on the road were almost silent as I made my way to the source of the noise. I had walked a good twenty yards when I heard the footsteps start up behind me again.

"Who's there?" I turn to look as I ask my question hoping I'm quick enough on the drawl to catch my pursuer in the act of following me. Of course I don't. Whoever it is must have been smarter than I had previously given them. I listen and watch as my words echo and return to me from the emptiness of the street. My hands were suddenly clammy and wet. I rushed to wipe them down the legs of my jeans. I didn't think I was going crazy, but then again, maybe this was all a dream. Somehow I knew it wasn't, despite the desperate wishes I was silently sending to the gods above. Deciding the footsteps were mostly harmless--aside from the creepy chill they sent down my back--I moved on. I knew the noise was just around the corner now. Just another block till I found what it was I was looking for, which, at this point, I had no idea what it was going to be. I was shocked further when I rounded the corner and there before me instead of a vehicle like I was expecting was a huge building. This building was the cause of the noise. Unlike all the rest this building looked new and polished, not a letter of graffiti, not one broken window, and there appeared to be people inside. Or at least I hoped it would be people. I don't know what else it was I expected, but when I finally entered the building I released a breathe I'd been unknowingly holding.

It was a bustling city of InuYashas. I was trapped by my own shock. I'd thought that InuYasha was the leader and the rest only mere look-a-likes, perhaps for his own protection, now I was not so sure. They didn't seem to notice my grand entrance and so I stayed quiet and watched. They moved about, none of them speaking, or at least not that I could hear. Despite the silence there was an underlying noise, possibly the building. The noise I'd heard outside had dulled at my entrance and was now only a slight background rhythmic drone. I walked a few paces into the building and then cautiously passed through a doorway that reminded me of a metal detector at an airport. I was immediately sorry for my boldness. The bracelet on my wrist turned a bright red and a siren went off above me. "Warning: Unauthorized subject has entered the building." The same metallic voice from my home announced my arrival. After the warning went off there was a wave of silence that was far more quiet than the first. It seemed that even the building had stopped buzzing to watch what was to happen next. All of the InuYashas turned to me, synchronized they all looked down at their own watch type devices. It almost reminded me of the power rangers, only no transformation was made. I was almost hoping however one would and this communistic community would show some form of uniqueness. However today was not my day. Instead of the drastic scene I'd created in my head of the Power Ranger transformation they all spoke at once. Well at least it appeared they were talking, their lips were moving and the buildings loud buzzing noise picked up again.

That's when I came to a new conclusion. These people were aliens that had come to my planet and had taken over. That seemed to cover all the open questions in my mind, it even made the most sense--at least more so than my other ideas, which included genocide, Armageddon, and or a new type of plague. However, not one of them approached me or attacked me as I was expecting. They all stopped talking simultaneously and just as quickly as they'd turned my way they turned and went back to whatever it was they had been doing. I watched and waited, and then as I was about to turn and leave I saw him. I'm not sure how I could tell it was InuYasha, after all they all looked like Inuyasha--it might have been the cocky smirk he wore on his face, the same one he gave Naraku, or the way he walked, he seemed more confidant than the other InuYashas--whatever it was I knew right away it was him. He was coming my way, watching me in a way that had me suddenly worried about how I looked. This made me frustrated because I had never been vain about my looks. What was it about this man that made me feel so suddenly self conscious? Of course if I knew the answer to that I would have already remedied the problem. I stood stationary and waited for him to come to me.

It didn't take long. He walked with pride, I could tell he thought highly of himself. Despite not liking men who were chauvinistic pigs, there was something about InuYasha that seemed to quell my hostility. I noticed as he came closer to me that there were fewer and fewer people, they seemed to disappear from sight, I wasn't sure what was going on but this definitely had me confused. It were as if InuYasha was taking up all the space in my vision, imparing my abilities to see anything else but him. I tried not to think about this new revelation and instead thought through the tons of questions that had been constantly racing through my mind since I awoke in the white room that was my prison. I started out with one I thought was the most obvious.

"What happened out there?" He was standing a mere three feet in front of me now, and didn't seem to have a care in the world--a talent I wished some day to master.

He was quiet for a long moment and I was just about to prompt him with a "Well?" when he finally replied. "You've been gone for a while, in your absence you missed a great devastation that has fallen over your people."

_Thank you InuYasha for the cryptic response_, I wanted so bad to say my thoughts aloud, however, I held my tongue. "And just how long have I been gone?" I was expecting an answer along the lines of a month, maybe two. What I wasn't expecting was for InuYasha to totally ignore my question. That is of course after a look of annoyance passed over his face. _What was I not allowed to get all the details of my kidnapping_?

"We don't have time to answer all of your questions, you're just going to have to trust me, we came to help." The way he dodged the question made me quirk an eyebrow in speculation. I mean after all I barely knew the guy, to tell the truth I didn't have even the slightest bit of proof that he was a good guy. I only knew that he'd rather have me than let someone else hold me captive. Which brought up my next question. "Why did you rescue me?"

He glared at me hard, and I gave him a what-it-was-just-a-question look, that I could tell right away he didn't approve of. "Kagome, I know you don't trust me, but to be brutally honest I don't trust you either."

It shocked me, but only slightly. After all I was the victim here. He'd come and taken me away from Naraku, who let's face it wasn't the better of the two options anyway, and then brought me back here and decided to have the gall to tell me he didn't trust me! Yeah I know, how was a girl to react to that, guys were so rediculous. I knew that InuYasha wasn't just any ordinary guy though. Unless the dog ears, claws, and fangs were all a cover up to hide his true identity. While I was staring at him--I'm sure with my jaw dropped and a bit of drool running down the side of my face in shock--he just continued on. "Which is why we're going to run you through a series of tests."

Let me just say one thing, "tests" were **never** my idea of a good time. I was really uncomfortable with people examining me and finding out more about me than I ever knew about myself. Which is why as a result of his words I turned--faster, I noticed, than I'd ever moved before--and bolted out the door. I would rather face the creepy foot steps that fallowed me, than allow some other species to run who knows what kind of tests on me. Nuh uh, not me, so **not **interested. I stopped my full out sprint after about ten minutes. InuYasha hadn't persued me and I was thankful, but did that mean he didn't really need my help, or he thought I'd soon come back, groveling at his feet and begging to be fed. I don't think so, I'd learn to survive on my own once before and now I can do it again. I didn't get far, however, because minutes after I'd let my guard down and started to slow my pace to a very slow walk I was seized. I now had a knife to my throat and the coarse beard of an old man brushing against my cheek.

I was frozen in shocked horror, again. I couldn't believe my own stupidity. But then this stranger said something that had my nerves instantly on edge and my curiousity spiked. "Kagome, I know your secrets."

End Chapter

AN: I know, you hate me, well that's my job, leave a review, will update soon! thanks, later


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer I don't own INUYASHA, not even in my dreams

This is for you Lizzie! hope you like it, sorry it took so long, the next one will be up faster i promise! i've already got it half way done! hope this one isn't too confusing! heh!

Chapter 5 Pointing the Blame

Kagome awoke to a searing pain in the back of her skull. She was going to assess the damage but found her arms were immobile at her sides. She couldn't move more than a few inches from left to right. She opened her eyes and glanced about her but all she could register was a small thin strip of light in front of her eyes. Next came sound, someone was speaking. It was a language she didn't understand and it made her nervous. It sounded close, too close. Could it possibly be talking to her? She tried blinking her eyes several times to get a better grip on the reality she was living but all was blank. She stared long and hard at the thin strip of light. It was her sanctuary, the only light she had in the darkness around her. She just wished she knew what was happening. What kind of mess had she gotten herself into now? Would InuYasha come rescue her again? Did he even know where she was? She didn't even know where she was.

She sat, or stood—she couldn't really tell her legs felt numb—and listened to the voice that made no sense. It was a long time before she finally grasped some reality. She had some sort of blind fold on, she knew for sure. She recalled the harsh crack to her skull she'd received upon resisting against the person who kidnapped her. All of her logical thinking was thrown out the window due to a lapse in all memory past that last moment of consciousness. InuYasha was the main subject on her mind. He would come for her, wouldn't he? Not that she wanted, or needed, his help. She just had to figure this out for herself. If only her head wasn't spinning. She debated many plans of action hoping her natural instincts would tell her what to do, to no avail. She was pointlessly working at freeing her hands from the ropes that held them tight. It was only causing her more pain. She was also trying to move her toes and regain feelings in her feet. By now she knew that she was sitting on her own legs and that the weight of her body had cut off circulation making them go numb.

She felt someone move near and instantly she went still. She didn't move for a long time trying to find out what was going on in the world around her. Suddenly, and without warning, she was unceremoniously yanked to her feet. However, due to the still-numbness of her lower limbs she merely stumbled, lost her footing and fell to the ground again. This time when she was pulled off the ground she was given a harsh kick in her side to get her moving. She let out a string of cuss words as she rolled her ankle and instantly feeling returned to her legs. She was pushed along a gravel path—she knew because her feet kept sliding in the loose rocks—at a pace faster than her ankle could bear. She did her best to slow their progress when she could. Any chance she had to fall to the ground she took. After all the few kicks she received would be well worth her life if they were taking her somewhere to die. She was dissecting her past few days in her head, trying to figure out the sudden popularity she'd be receiving. First Naraku, then InuYasha, and now whoever these people were.

They all had reasons for kidnapping her, but were they all for the same reasons? InuYasha claimed to be an ally, someone she should trust. Naraku didn't say what side of the table he was on, but by the way he'd kidnapped her Kagome was going to guess he was out for self gain. These people had to have a reason for kidnapping her, and if they weren't on InuYasha's team then they must be bad. Unless, InuYasha was the bad guy, and she had it all wrong. But how could someone so nice be evil? Or was that just his ploy?

She had thought herself into an endless circle of what if's, and knew that there was only one way to find out. If she could just get out of her current predicament she would go back to InuYasha and make a deal with him. Just as she was going to 'slip' to the ground again—by accident of course—she was picked up off her feet. She let out a scream and tried kicking out with her legs hoping to hit some important body parts, but her resistance was futile. Whoever had her locked in a death grip wasn't planning on letting go. What made everything worse was that she couldn't see a single thing. There was a moment of blind confusion as Kagome was moved sporadically around and then she could see.

Kagome's POV

I was hit with a strong rush of pain to my skull as the brilliance of the world around me came into view. I blinked furiously trying to take in the shapes and colors. When I could finally focus on my surroundings I noticed right away that not only was I outside but I was in Chicago. Very few things in the great city I used to call home still stood. I would have taken a moment to see just what all had changed in my absence but my attention was drawn elsewhere. "Kagome, if you promise to behave I'll release you." I looked to the man who stood before me. He was old, well past fifty years, and he looked strangely familiar. His shock of grey hair was cropped short, his brown eyes seemed sincere, and there was something about his smile that seemed reassuring.

"What do you want from me?" I was more frustrated now that I was again for the third time in a short time held captive. "Why am I so important?" The old man nodded his head at the man behind me and he released me from the death grip he'd had on me. I glared back at him but he seemed un-phased. I watched the old man walk towards me and then stop at my side. He pulled a knife from his pocket. I have to admit at first I was a bit worried. I realized a little too late that I could be arguing with someone who wasn't actually interested in me. I soon found out though that I was partly wrong. He used the knife to cut the ropes binding my wrists. As soon as they were free I pulled them around and looked at the raw, red skin. There were a few places where the rope had cut through that were now bleeding. The old man handed me a wet rag and I slowly tended to my wounds.

"Kagome, do you want to know why you're so important?" I looked up at the man, not entirely sure he could answer the thousands of questions racing through my mind.

"If you think that would help." I wasn't sure how confidant I was but my voice hadn't wavered so that was a plus.

"Before I tell you there are some things you have to know, some history you need to catch up on." I felt my face contort into pure confusion but I didn't interrupt him. "Kagome in the past 63 years the world you knew changed. 63 years ago the Germans were experimenting with a chemical compound they wanted to use to create a better cloning process. Something went wrong and the chemical morphed into something more powerful. The US government found a parasite that could kill the chemical compound and it was released in Germany to fight off the chemical. But the parasite was taken over by the chemical and then started attacking people.

"Before we knew what was happening half of the German population was dead, the other half was infected. The parasite only took an hour to kill its host and in that time the host was being forced to spread the parasite. We didn't have time to fight it off. Soon it spread throughout Europe and the devastation was on its way here." He paused for a moment to let the information sink in and I found my list of questions doubling. I stayed silent and let him continue.

"Scientists here were working on a cure but they weren't fast enough, so they started working on a new idea. They wanted to build a bomb that would destroy the parasite for good. They completed their project but it was too powerful. They knew there was no way for them to control this masterpiece they'd created. They had outdone themselves. So instead they decided to cryogenically freeze as much of the population still alive as possible. And it worked, for the most part." He stopped to indicate the city around them. "As the parasites ran out of human bodies to feed on they became panicked. They started destroying everything in their paths." I almost raised my hand, as if I was back in high school and I wanted to ask the teacher a question. I resisted the urge to blurt out the couple thousand of questions hammering my brain, but I could tell the story wasn't over yet.

"Two years after the last person was frozen the first was released from his icy prison. The man was Dr. Sential he had come up with the idea for the bomb and was now responsible for finding out if the parasite was gone. When he was positive that it was he began thawing out others. Soon everyone was free, except for one person. You." He paused for a moment and I could tell he was trying to figure out was I was thinking.

"Why wasn't I released?" I felt myself growing unsure, I mean really, did this mean I was 82 years old? That was outrageous! Wasn't it?

"That's the thing Kagome, that was what made you special. You weren't released because you were the bomb." He was clearly making this entire story up. If I was the bomb then why hadn't I gone off yet? "Look I know what you're thinking and the reason you are the bomb is because they needed a human to be the bomb. The parasite wasn't killing any other animal, and they didn't have time to make a giant missile. You were the bomb because the parasites would come find you, they were after humans. It made perfect sense to make a human the bomb."

"But why me?" I didn't like this story, I didn't like anything about this place, and all I wanted was to go home.

"Do you remember anything of your life before you woke up a few days ago?"

"Sure, I was a con artist; I had a mother and grandfather, and brother. I had friends and I had enemies. I don't understand though, what was it about me?" I was growing frustrated.

"You agreed with the entire procedure because you were the one who created the parasite. It was all your fault." He noticed the denial in my eyes and quickly continued on. "You were brought in by Dr. Sential to help create the parasite. It was one you were familiar with, because you dealt with it on a day to day basis. This parasite originated from the idea you gave Dr. Sential when you told him about the computer viruses you uploaded to eat away at another program."

"Cancer X, that was what I called the program. It was harmless unless mixed with an anti-virus scan. Then it basically killed every file it could get a hold of." I was starting to remember a little, but I still didn't like the truth.

"Kagome you know me, just think back." I looked into the eyes of the old man looking for something I would recognize.

"Hojo?" It clicked as he gave me another smile and offered a fresh rag. The one I had been using had been soaked through with blood and was no longer cleaning my skin but merely moving the grim and dirt around.

"Yes Kagome, very good." I quirked an eyebrow. Now the questions I was going to ask took a back seat to the one I needed to know now.

"Where is my family?" That was the first thing on my mind.

"They are gone, and have been for a while now."

I was almost too afraid to ask but I had to know. "What do you mean by gone?" I knew by the dark look that crossed his face that it wasn't good. "Did they know about what I'd done?"

"No, they knew nothing about the parasite or the bomb, at least nothing intricate, just what the news was telling them. Your mother and grandfather died of old age. Souta was killed by the parasite, I'm sorry Kagome." I felt the tears come hard and fast. There was nothing I could do to stop the onslaught of tears that were pouring down my cheeks. They were gone and now I was all alone. I was all alone and I was a walking time bomb. That was my next question.

"Hojo, this bomb, will it go off if I get hurt, or fall down?" He looked away after handing me a hanky from his pocket. I looked at it questionably but decided I would look better without snot running down my face.

"I'm not sure about that. We have to find Dr. Sential. He will know everything. There is one thing you need to know." Hojo's face grew serious and the old man who I was remembering as an overly helpful guy was actually looking ancient. "Kagome you're a walking time bomb. There is a time limit on the bomb that you are walking around with."

There was always a catch. It couldn't be bad enough that I was a bomb, but to learn that I had a limited amount of time to live made it worse. Knowing that I would also kill everyone still alive on the planet if I did go off, only added to the pain I was feeling. My brain was instantly working overtime trying to come up with a solution. "Hojo, can you send me away? Like off this planet. Wait; hold on, how much time till I go off?"

"When you were finished being built into a time bomb it was a month till your birthday so they made that the detonation date."

I was temporarily confused but my mind caught up with the endless list of questions I was harboring. "Wait so I have till my birthday? What is today?"

He shook his head in disdain. "No, you have a month, or less than that, do you know exactly how long you've been awake?"

"Naraku had me held captive for at least two days, maybe four." I started doing a little math in my head, "And it took a day to get back here with InuYasha, wait is he a bad guy too? Or is he trying to help me? Or are you the bad guy? Or is it Naraku?" I found out that in asking all my questions I was only making myself more confused. Who was the bad guy? I found myself leaning towards Naraku, but InuYasha had wanted to run tests on me. Did that mean he didn't know exactly what I was? Or was he trying to confirm that I was the bomb so he could eliminate me.

"I can't answer all of your questions because I don't know all of the answers, all I do know is that you have 25 days to find Dr. Sential and get him to reverse this bomb thing, or show you how to disable it. If there isn't a way then you need to make a decision. Will you let yourself explode or will you go back into the freezer?"

I didn't want to think about not succeeding at the moment. I wanted to lie down and sort out my thoughts. "Can you tell me where to find Dr. Sential?"

"I have no clue; last I heard he was working in New York." Hojo must have caught the annoyed look on my face, because he quickly went on. "You know him very well Kagome, you would know his face in any crowd, and he hasn't changed much in the 63 years that you've been gone. I'm sure if you found him you'd know it."

I wanted to give in to the frustration and just have Hojo put me back into the freezer but I had to try. "Do you really have to be cryptic, wait, don't answer that, I think I have a plan, and a way to find Dr. Sential."

He seemed to be okay with me leaving. "Just be careful Kagome, especially be cautious of injury. Oh and incase you hadn't remembered you never called Dr. Sential by his last name. To you he was Koga." I nodded, the name wasn't familiar to me, but that was probably because my brain had been frozen for over fifty years. Hojo pointed me in the direction of the building InuYasha had been at, I was headed back to see him. If I could work out a deal with InuYasha them maybe I could get access to information on Dr. Sential.

End Chapter

So you probably have questions, and you're in luck cause i can answer them all! review if you want too. until next time!


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer I don't own InuYasha.

This chapter goes out to Lizzie; I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! More to come soon I promise.

Chapter Six Renewed Friendship

The short walk to the embassy was pointless. Within minutes of Hojo and me parting ways I picked up on someone following me. I didn't bother checking out who it was because there was a fifty percent chance that it was one of Hojo's boys following me to make sure I was going where I said I was. It turned out that InuYasha was an easy man to find, especially when he wanted to be found. I had decided on my walk to the embassy that I was going to pretend I didn't know anything that Hojo had told me in the past few hours. If I confronted him with the information then I might be throwing away my only bargaining chip. He was sitting on a bench out in front of the embassy building. His ears twitched, I noticed, as I walked around the corner and into the clearing where I could see his form sitting on the bench. He knew I was approaching and if I was right he'd been waiting for me.

I had no idea how long I had been gone but if Hojo had been right about me only having 25 days then I had probably been gone for more than a few hours. As I grew closer he turned to me. A look of relief flooded his feature and I felt almost confidant that he wasn't a bad guy. For some reason I liked InuYasha, I didn't know if it was smart, but I had this uncontrollable feeling like he was on my side. I sat down next to him on the two-seater bench. Our knees touched sending a jolt up my leg. There was definitely something different about him. He wasn't just another guy. Of course it wasn't like I hadn't come to that conclusion already, what with the cute ears on his head, the fangs I'd noticed the first time he'd smiled and the claws that were taking the place of his fingernails.

He shocked me then by pulling me into a hug but it wasn't one that was comfortable, like the ones I used to share with my mom, this one was more awkward. The memory of my mother had tears springing to my eyes. I could only imagine what she had gone through losing me and then my brother in a few months time and then having to live through it again after the year of being frozen. I wondered for a moment if she had died alone. The thought made my eyes well up and tears flood down my cheeks. InuYasha, not being able to read minds, thought he'd been the cause of my tears.

"Kagome what is it? What happened to you? Where have you been?" He was using his thumbs to brush away the tears from my cheeks. "Did you get hurt?" He didn't wait for an answer only started to check my visible body parts for injury.

"I'm fine," I was going to tell him about my family, but then he'd know that I had found something, "I'm just relieved, I thought I'd never find my way back here, I got lost." I dried up my tears saving my grief for another, more appropriate time. "But everything is okay now, I'm with you." Okay so maybe I was laying it on a little thick, but it worked.

"Kagome everything is going to be fine. I promise." Yet again this man was making me feel like I belonged. Why did he have to be such a good guy? If I was going to lie, cheat and steal, I wanted it to be easy, and InuYasha was making it hard on my conscience to be bad. Of course there was another part of my mind thinking that InuYasha could just be a really good actor.

"I want to make a deal." I watched InuYasha for any signs that he wouldn't be open to the idea of making a deal with a walking time bomb. I wondered for a moment if he even knew. Was he just a pawn, or was he the head honcho? It was frustrating not being able to tell him what I knew and find out what he knew.

"What do you mean?" The wind picked up around me and I could smell his hair. It was a musky scent, and very mysterious. I felt stupid for thinking about InuYasha in any other way than an unknown enemy. It made me feel unsure.

"You want to run your tests, and I want some answers, I think we could be civil enough to work out a deal."

He turned toward me and looked me in the eye. "I think we can work something out."

I knew I had to be careful; I had to be in charge of this deal. I definitely didn't want him calling the shots. "There are, of course, some stipulations." It didn't seem right for me to be ordering InuYasha. For all I knew he was the king of his planet, or whatever they called their leaders. It wasn't something she wanted to think about.

He didn't object right away, which I took as a good sign. "Like?"

Okay this was my chance; I had to cover all the basics. "First, any test I undergo you will too, I get to see the results and be informed of their significance."

He thought about what I said, and for a moment I really thought he was going to say no. "And what do I get in return?" He watched me with those careful amber eyes.

"I won't run away, and you get your tests, I also want to ask some questions." I gauged his reaction thinking I'd gone too. Maybe I was too demanding.

"What kind of questions?" I felt a flood of relief flow through my body and I relaxed a little. Now that I had what I wanted I'd let him think he was getting something in return.

"I want to know what happened here and what does Naraku want with me?" That wasn't even a small fraction of the questions fighting in my brain to be asked.

"Okay, I agree to the terms, on one condition of my own." I waited but didn't object. "Don't ask any personal questions."

"Do you have a library, or database?" It was worth a shot; at least if I could be alone for a while I would have a chance to look up Dr. Sential. Maybe even find him before my time was up.

"Yes, we have both, what is it you want to research?" I didn't think he knew what I was trying to do, but I did have an eerie feeling that he was being to accepting.

"Well while I was gone on my little walk I realized I've missed quite a bit, and unless you want to be answering questions till the end of time it might just be easier for me to read about the things I've missed out on."

I was still staring into those deep eyes when something changed. There was something going on that he wasn't telling me. "You don't remember anything do you?" I supposed he was referring to my past, before I had been turned into a bomb and then frozen into an ice cube. And he was right.

"I remember faces, my mom, Souta, Grandpa. I know who I was, I worked a lot with computers and I did more than my fair share of bad things. But I had fun doing it. I don't really remember having any friends, maybe a few here and there. But the names and faces are blurry." It was hard for me to talk about my family to him, especially since he couldn't know that I knew they were all dead.

"I see, well then before we seal our deal, there are a few things you should know." I was expecting another stipulation, which would have been fine with me, or for him to tell me something about him.

"About you?" I guessed aloud, "I mean it's not everyday that you meet a guy from another planet." I can't believe I just said that out loud.

"No, not about me, it's about you, well about your family." My heart sank; I instantly knew what he was going to tell me. Still a part of me hoped Hojo had been lying to me, that somewhere out there my mother and brother and grandpa were still alive.

Still either way I had to pretend like I didn't already know. "What about them? Are they here?" I almost died at the excitement in my own voice.

"Kagome, I'm sorry, but they are dead." The noise that came out of me next wasn't quite a sob. It was all the pain I'd wanted to withhold, the pain that I could no longer keep inside me. I cried hard, for the second time over the loss of my family. This only confirmed my previous fears. I knew now that Hojo hadn't lied to me, and I knew that all the things he said were going to happen. I had to find Dr. Sential, and I had to be frozen again. InuYasha pulled me to his chest and cradled me there. I felt terrible for getting his shirt wet, but I was crying hard and there was no stop to this flood.

"Are you sure?" I wanted more than anything for him to be a big fat liar, but I knew he wasn't.

"Yes, I'm sorry, but you do still have one person. She's an old friend of yours. Though I'm not sure you remember her."

Now I was more intrigued than upset and I knew I had to move on eventually. Not that I was over the grief I felt for the loss. Somehow InuYasha made it easy for me. He hadn't pushed me. It was comforting. "Who is it?"

"First let's go inside, it's getting cold out here." He must have noticed the shiver that had run down my spine and mistaken it for a chill. I was afraid of meeting someone who I wouldn't remember. What would she possibly remember about me? Whoever it was probably knew more about me than I did. "Oh I should warn you, there is one test you need to take before we go inside, for everyone's safety."

I was curious, and since he had agreed to answer questions I felt free to ask as many as I could. "What is it for?"

He pulled the door open for me and I stepped in. "It's to check you for parasites."

I tried to remember the fact that he didn't know I knew about everything and so I played the part of village idiot. "Parasites?"

"Yes it's mandatory for all humans." I saw the machine they were going to use on me and I felt my heart race.

"Will it hurt you?" I knew one thing for sure, I wasn't going first.

He quirked one of his eyebrows in confusion. "No."

With a wave of my hand I indicated that he should go first. "Then you first."

He smiled at me and I felt my heart race again. "As you wish." The InuYasha look-a-likes took that as a queue and with a small click of the big machine a red light flashed and a full scale image of the inside of InuYasha's body popped up on a small screen. There was a loading bar and then the word "clear" flashed over the screen in green letters. Now it was my turn. I was scared for a moment that the test would show the explosive inside me but it didn't. I was cleared and allowed access to the rest of the building.

"Come with me." I had momentarily forgotten everything in my amazement of the building around me. There was so much going on and everyone was moving quickly. I felt like at any moment I could trip and fall and ruin the clockwork of it all.

"Where are we going?" I tried to pay attention but the similar faces around me made me nauseous. I noticed InuYasha pick up a plastic box.

"Library."

"What is that for?" I pointed to the plastic case and he smirked at me.

"Our first test." I felt a lump form in my throat. I didn't like the idea of tests, but it was a deal that I had made.

"What kind of test?" I tried to swallow the lump in my throat and my stomach did a back flip.

We got on an elevator and rode to the second floor. When we stepped out of the elevator we stepped into a large room. It was filled from floor to ceiling with shelves of books. There was a deck of computers as well in the center of the room. "I'm going to draw some blood first."

"What are you testing for?" I moved around the room looking at the shelves of books. Most of them I didn't recognize. A few looked familiar, but I couldn't place titles with memories.

"I'm going to start with the basics. I want to check your white blood count along with a few other simple tests to make sure you're healthy."

I picked up a volume of an encyclopedia and glanced at the picture on the cover. "I feel fine." Besides the fact that there were butterflies in my stomach and a lump in my throat.

"That may be true, but I want to confirm that before we start you on the other tests since they could be fatal if you are sick."

I had thought I would finally be able to swallow the lump in my throat until the fatality issue took place. "By sick do you mean infection?"

He motioned me closer to him and I set the giant book down on a table before going to his side. "I'm going to test for infection, as well as checking for broad spectrum viruses and bacteria, and check for any genetic abnormalities."

"Sounds intense," I sat down in a chair and he opened the plastic case, "are you a doctor?"

"I'm good at a bunch of things. On my planet we are trained in everything we would ever need in life. We age differently so we have the time to spend on learning more." He pulled a large needle from the plastic case and attached it to a clear plastic tube that he then attached to a small plastic vial.

"Did I mention I am terrified of needles?" I tried not to show my fear, but it was obvious by the way I had cringed from him.

"I'll go first." He smiled reassuringly at me and I tried to keep my hands from shaking. He tied a tourniquet around the upper part of his right arm and balled his hand into a fist. He clenched and unclenched his fist a few time and then with no warning at all jabbed the needle into his arm at the crease.

I winced and looked away barely catching site of the blood that flowed down the tube and into the vial. I tried to remember my past, if I was created into a human bomb there had to be times when I was pricked with needles and even had to get surgery. Unless it was a small, yet powerful, bomb. I wanted to believe the first one so I could pull through this first test and be able to—without complaint—endure the others. When the vial was filled he carefully removed the needle and I watched in amazement as the wound healed in a matter of seconds.

"Whoa!" I blinked as he put the needle away and pulled out a new one. He put a label on the vial that held his blood and then started getting things ready for my turn. "So you aren't human, does that make you an alien?" I didn't really care about the answer; I was only asking to distract myself. I knew what was coming and I knew that if I was paying attention I would panic.

He laughed out a harsh bark of laughter that made a smile grace my face. "You could better compare me to a demon like that of your fairy tales, aliens like what your Roswell landing is supposed to portray aren't real. There are no little green men." He rubbed the skin on my upper left arm. I thought he was trying to soothe me but it only made me jump.

"I—I can live with that." I felt stupid for faltering but he'd tied the tourniquet around my arm and was now looking deep into my eyes.

"Mind if I make a suggestion?" I found myself looking away from his bright eyes and at the ground.

"To help me ignore the pain? I'm game." I was expecting some advice, what I got was far better. He leaned in really close and I could smell him again. It was intoxicating. I couldn't breathe.

"Small pinch." He whispered before his lips touched mine and then I was so caught up in the emotions that I barely felt the needle sink into my skin. It was just like he'd promised, small pinch. He backed away after a few seconds a small grin on his face and I felt myself flush red.

"What was that for?" I was afraid of the answer but the question was already out there.

"It works on the girls back home, so I figured it would help you to forget the pain." I was shocked into a solid stone. The emotions on my face must have been rage and fury because he leaned further back. "Whoa Kagome, it was only a joke."

I was still too appalled to reply. Knowing he would joke about a kiss made me feel robbed. It had been nothing to either of us, but somehow it was painful. Instead of saying anything at all I looked down at my arm, which made me woozy. I felt myself sway, why did I have to become indisposed at the site of blood? I was chosen to become a human time bomb but I couldn't stand seeing blood. His arm caught me and kept me from falling off my chair. But I was still fuming and I pushed off him and tipped the other way.

"Okay, hold still for a moment, and let me get this out of your arm." This time there was no promise of a small pinch. He pulled the needle out in a quick motion and put a small square of gauze over it. He put some pressure to the wound and before I had time to realize I was in pain he put a band-aid over it.

He left my side to walk to a large shelf of books and came back with a thick volume. "This may help you remember, I'll be back later." I was shocked at his clipped tone. He left before I had the time to express irritation. I gook the book off the desk and let my anger boil inside me. First he kissed me, and then he had the audacity to tell me it was a commonplace occurrence, and now he was livid with me because I was pissed off—which I had every right to be.

I got up from my seat, still indignant, and pulled the book off the table. I opened the front cover and flipped through a few pages at the front. I glanced at the table of contents and found nothing that looked interesting. I looked over at the deck of computers and knew I'd find something on there that would help me find Dr. Sential. I glanced at the door and made sure no one was going to walk in unexpectedly. After that I went over to the farthest computer and powered it on. It hummed to life and I waited for the screen to load.

I began by opening a search of all the files on the computer, since it didn't seem to be connected to an internet source. I was curious about that; maybe there was no longer internet, after all, tons of people were killed. I figured since this Dr. Sential was responsible for saving what was left of the human race, he would be somewhere on this database. I found several pages of information and it took me a while to narrow it all down to specific information about the man. I found a picture of him that was dated quite recently and I was shocked. He didn't look a day over 20. There was something else about him that made me confused. He looked familiar. I thought back to what Hojo had said. I knew Dr. Sential; I had helped him create the terrible parasite. I agreed with him to make me into a human time bomb. I just wish I could remember him. What was he like? Where did he live?

Finally I got the answer to my question. I found an address and even though I had no idea how I was going to get to New York, at least now I knew where he was. Now I needed to get rid of InuYasha, or at least get out of this building. I had been thinking so hard on a plan of escape that I hadn't heard someone enter.

It made me jump when this person made their presence known. "Hi Kagome." My first reaction was to shut down the computer and swivel around in my chair like the guiltiest person alive. Thank goodness I realized it wasn't InuYasha before I turned to shout my explanation.

"Oh, hello, do I know you?" Before me stood a girl of my height, she had long dark hair, and bright eyes. I couldn't tell the color from where she stood because she wasn't looking directly at me. It was shocking to see her as a unique individual because I was only used to seeing the InuYasha look-a-likes from earlier today.

"I'm Sango." She seemed to be saying less and meaning more. I don't know what I was thinking but her eyes were pleading with me. I just have no idea what she wanted from me.

"What are you doing here?" I knew I had no right to ask such a question. After all this was a public—I thought—library. Maybe she was doing research on something or looking for a book. She knew my name so she must be a friend of InuYasha, or maybe everyone knew about me.

"I came to see you." She was relaxed, which made me relax; she wasn't here to spy on me, or find out what I was doing. I hoped.

"Why?" That was the only thing I wanted to know. Why did anybody want to see me? Or talk to me? Or test me? This led me on to other thoughts. Like: Was InuYasha really using my blood to run tests on my white blood count, or was he doing something else. After all, even if he showed me the test results I wouldn't know what it all meant. I wouldn't know if he was lying to me. I realized then that I'm too trusting. So I stopped right then and there.

"You don't remember me do you?" It was the second time I'd heard that line in one day and I was growing doubtful that all these people who were my friends were still around. I mean Hojo made sense, he was about sixty-something and he looked it. The person in front of me had to be around 20 to 23 years old. There was no way that I could know her, not since I had be in a cryogenic tank for the past sixty years.

"No, sorry, I don't think so." I felt bad for the way my voice had been clipped and harsh.

"We used to memorize every line of every Mike Myers film. We'd stay up till five AM just so we had an excuse to sleep in. You used to call me Miss. Scarlet, I called you Mrs. Peacock. They were our code names for our nightly trips to the Candy Club. We were wild and brainless, but you had to go and leave me for that stupid, stupid man. We were supposed to be friends to the very end. Instead you left me to go create something that tortured our world and then you tried to fix it. Well guess what, you failed." I was taken aback, but not before memories came flooding back into my brain. Not all of them, I still couldn't remember who exactly this Dr. Sential person was, but I remembered Sango. She was clear as daylight in my head.

I knew she was angry at me. She blamed me, but my next actions were unstoppable. I rushed forward and pulled Sango into a giant hug. I whispered into her ear. "Don't you remember the crimbo din-din we had with the grotty Scots bint?"

I thought for a moment she was going to pull away and leave me alone—which would have been expected. Instead she whispered back. "Oh, the one that was all sixes and sevens?" We both tried to repress our urges to laugh behind small giggles but they burst through as I finished the next line of the quote and she replied back. We were laughing so hard we were rolling on the floor with tears in our eyes, when—to our embarrassment—someone walked through the double door entrance.

The speed at which we contained out mirth was record-breaking. We stood from our sprawled positions on the floor. I was comforted to find that it was only InuYasha. He probably came to tell me about the test results that could, or could not, be information that would tell you about infections and hereditary diseases. I would never know.

"I see you two remember each other." I nodded enthusiastically.

"Except I do have one question, if that's not too much to ask." He smiled at me, it seemed like he'd gotten over his previous tiff with me. I was still boiling deep down, but I wasn't going to let it fester up just yet. I would save my ammo for later, incase I ever needed a good reason to ignore him.

"Go ahead; after all I got my first tests." Never mind, he was still angry at me—for what reasons I was unsure. It was obvious by the contempt in his voice.

"How is Sango still young?" I smiled at my best friend. "Not that I'm complaining, if you were senile it'd be hard for you to remember half of the stuff we did together, which would have kept me from remembering."

"Well that's quite a question, it may take a while to explain fully, but Sango has lived on my planet for so long that she aged differently. Like I said earlier, we age differently on my planet. That's mostly because time is different there. Sixty years on this planet is only three on mine." He smirked at the look of confusion that I knew was on my face.

"Whoa, that's enough to make you dizzy. We can go over the strict details at a later time. What did your tests tell you?" Not that I was for sure he'd tell me the truth. I wasn't all that worried, if I had my way I wasn't going to be here for many more of his ridiculous tests. I had enough information to track down Dr. Sential now so I needed to be leaving soon. I thought for a moment about asking Sango to come with me, but it seemed that she was fully on InuYasha's team and not so much mine. Despite us being best friends years ago, she couldn't be trusted, at least not yet.

"Well you're 100% disease free. Good for you." He showed me the charts and explained the graphs for me and Sango stood to the side watching idly.

"You know you could totally be lying to me and I'd have no idea." It was meant to be a humorous remark but he took it seriously.

"I wouldn't lie to you Kagome, you need to be able to trust me and I need to be able to trust you." He gave me a sincere smile and I wanted to look away. I couldn't, no matter how hard I tried. His eyes were locked on mine and it was impossible to even pull up the anger I had felt toward him little over an hour ago.

"So has she gotten the grand tour yet?" Sango wondered aloud not exactly breaking up our staring contest.

"How big is this place?" I had figured that only a few floors of the building were in use but the look on Sango's face told me the whole thing was utilized to its fullest potential.

"Do you mind if I steal her away from you for a few hours?" She was pleading with InuYasha. "Or you could come with us." She had taken my arm and was already dragging me to the doors. I watched his face hoping he would decline his invitation. No luck for Kagome today.

"I can join you, after all I'm the one responsible, and I can't have you getting her lost." He grinned down at me and I was sure I was sporting a morbid look.

"Pssh," Sango laughed at the comment. "I know this place better than you do."

He let out a bark of laughter that I found rather cute, after all with his dog ears and adorable face it worked well for him. I found myself incapable of staying angry at him, or at least showing my irritation with him.

"We have to get you used to the place fast, we have game night tonight." She sounded gleeful and that only made me more confused.

"What is game night? Like board games?" They both laughed at me, well Sango laughed at me, InuYasha seemed more concerned.

"She can't play the game tonight, she'd get lost within minutes." He grinned at me, "We'd never find her again." I wasn't sure that I didn't like that idea. Whatever this game night is it could be my chance to escape and it would give me a few hours to get out of town.

"Oh come on, we can show her the way around, and if we have to she can stick with one of us during the games." Her bottom lip jutted out in a pout and I followed suit. There was no way he could say no.

"Well if we're going to do this then you're going to have to pay attention, this place is huge." I smiled at him temporarily forgetting our argument. With an excited squeal from Sango I was rushed off to get fully acquainted with the seven story building.

End Chapter

Ok so I hope you love it! Lol! I'm proud of this update; if you have any questions feel free to ask!


	7. Chapter 7

Okay i'm going to put up a poll for this story. Right now this love circle can go one of two ways. I'd like everyone to vote for their favorite pairing and whether or not you want me to include Miroku in this story. Thanks :)

Disclaimer: Don't own anything. Just this plot.

Another awesome chapter for Lizzie! Enjoy chicka!

Chapter 7 uʍop ǝpısdn

We had finally finished the grand tour two hours after beginning it. I had never had so much fun while being given a tour. "Okay, so I think I got it. So the lobby is the first floor, the library is the second floor, the third floor is storage, the hospital is the fourth floor, food on the fourth floor and rooms on the sixth." It was a mouthful but I managed to get it all out in one breath.

"Yep!" Sango seemed just as exuberant as I was, her cheeks were flushed a pretty pink and a smile lit her face. I was so glad to have her back in my life. "See I told you she'd catch on!" She nudged InuYasha in the arm playfully. He muttered something unintelligible and we both giggled. "He hates being proven wrong."

"Wait, did I forget a floor? I thought you said there were seven floors?" I had just realized that I must have forgotten one of the levels and what it contained but Sango and InuYasha shared an enigmatic look across the table and I knew that I was missing something. "What is it?"

There was a pause of hesitation as if they were both debating telling me some big secret. "The seventh floor is not accessible, there was a bad fire several years back and the entire floor burnt before the fire rescue arrived on the scene. They managed to salvage the rest of the building but everything on the top floor is torched." It was InuYasha who was telling me the story but there was a look in Sango's eyes that had my eyes trained on her.

A tear spilt on her cheek and I felt guilty for asking the question. "Sango are you okay?" She nodded and brushed away the stay tear. The table was silent for a long moment and for the first time I felt out of place. This wasn't where I belonged, I had to leave and there was no escaping that fact. I had to find Dr. Sential.

It seemed that I wasn't the only one who was affected by the silence. Sango spoke up all of a sudden taking me by surprise. "I want to tell you." I looked at InuYasha and he nodded toward Sango. "I want to tell you about the fire."

"What is it Sango?" I was deeply concerned for my friend now, I remembered she always used to be a carefree girl and sadness wasn't something that was characteristic of her.

"When I was brought out of my tank and InuYasha came to find me and take me with him--most humans were taken to his planet as a safety procedure--my brother came with me, you remember him right?" I couldn't remember his name but his face popped into my mind and I nodded. "Well ten years ago he came back with the recruits to help start setting up communities here in the US. He was stationed here." She paused for a moment to allow her demons to pass over her face and then she was composed again. "He was on the seventh floor when the fire started. He died saving everyone else. The man he was with told us that as they were leaving on the stairs they had heard a voice and so my brother went back into the building to find the person, the fired squad was ten minutes away. They found out later it was a radio. My brother died because someone left a stereo on in one of the back rooms and he went thinking he was rescuing someone."

I was shocked that she was completely composed. Her voice hadn't even waivered slightly. She had had ten years to grieve; I was still silently bleeding for the loss of my family. I didn't believe in that moment that I would ever recover from the loss I was feeling. I pulled my friend into a deep hug without hesitation. This was what I had wanted upon receiving the news about my family. A good friend to hug me. This information also meant something. Sango was just as alone as I was and now we had each other to lean on. Would I really be able to leave her alone again? If it meant saving the world there was little I wasn't willing to let go. I must have had the same feeling in me back when I realized what mistake I had made by creating Cancer X.

I had to leave and the sooner I could the better off Sango would be. I couldn't let her get used to having me in her life. Whatever this game night meant, I was using it as a way to escape. "So please explain this game night to me." I could see the relief on my friends face, she didn't want my sympathy and that was obvious.

InuYasha took over at this point and began explaining everything to me. "We split into groups, 3 out of every 10 available players are the seekers. The rest are the hiders. We have a machine that calibrates cells and so all who are seekers and made to look like my brother and all who are it are created to look like me. That was how my brother and I used to play when I was little. He was always it and I was always hiding. So that is the way the game is set up. After teams are set up and everyone is changed we split up. The seekers are placed in a solitary confinement until the computer counts to three hundred. In that time the hiders have to get into their positions and stay hidden. During this game the building is shut down. The doors are locked and the elevators are disabled." He paused momentarily because of the troubled look that passed over my face, that would put a damper on my escape plans but I'd still find a way out.

"You get the concept so far?" He waited for me to nod hesitantly and then went on. "No worry there is only one more rule. You aren't allowed to speak. There will be microphones set up throughout the building and they will detect the slightest whisper. People who are caught talking are sent to the 'home' base and there they have to stay till the game end. The rest of the rules are like your average hide and go seek."

Sango at this point cut in. "Except we play in the dark with only the emergency lights on and when you are found you are sent to 'home' base till the game ends."

"So how do the hiders win?" It was my only question that didn't give away my near future plans.

"We set the game to last exactly three hours and we don't start till after sunset." I nodded at Sango, I knew the rules now all I had to do was hope my plans followed through and hope I don't get caught. As we spoke of this I was planning on changing the subject to get some information out of the pair. I needed to know if they knew about my little dilemma. Now that I think about it, it seemed that Naraku only knew parts of what I was. He said I held powers that humans also had. Could that have meant he knew about the ticking time bomb? It was a power that the humans held, but then I was human, so why would it seem that I wouldn't have these powers. Which led me to believe that he knew I had the bomb inside me. All this thinking made my head ache. So instead I was going to make them think.

"I have a question." I watched them look at me, knowing they were expecting a question about the game and I thought momentarily trying to correctly word my question. "While Naraku had me in his, um, headquarters? …well he said something about me holding some sort of power. Do you have any idea what he was talking about?" I watched them both closely gauging their reactions but both of them remained composed.

InuYasha recovered first and was quick to reply. "It seems like Naraku was trying to trick you Kagome, maybe make you feel like you were special. Maybe saying things like you were "the one" It's something Naraku does in order to make people do as he asks, he promises them things."

I felt a little miffed, but I wasn't telling him that. Was he trying to say I wasn't special? I wanted so bad to prove him wrong, but I couldn't afford to cause suspicion. "I see." Was my haughty and blunt answer. Who cares if I was pissed, I couldn't let him see that. "Well then, I'm going to head back up to the library, I still have several papers to read through. I've actually found a few very interesting articles I'd like to read through." I didn't wait for their reply, just did as I said.

I gathered my thoughts as I watched the sun set behind the vacant buildings out the west window of the Library. I was reading over a few articles post-CancerX. Nothing made sense; I still couldn't solve the puzzle of my past. There was at least a three year gap that my memory refused to remember. I remembered who I was before CancerX, and from that time till I woke up a captive of Naraku was all missing. Now I knew most of that I was cryogenically frozen but there were two years while I was creating CancerX and then the first year that it was on the loose.

My last hopes were that Dr. Sential would be able to tell me what I missed. I rubbed at my upper legs which were sore after InuYasha's most recent attempt at assuring that I was normal. I still wondered how much he knew about me, whether he knew about the bomb. I want to believe that he's running all his tests to help me to find a way to disable to bomb, but how can I believe that. I feel like I'm a prisoner in this building. My thoughts are broken as a hand lands on my shoulder. I spin quickly but it's only Sango.

"Time to go." She smiles at the lights overhead and as the last rays of the sun disappear the florescent lights flicker to life.

"That's a neat trick." I smile and think of what this game means for us. I will be leaving tonight, escaping and running away. I might never see Sango again. It isn't as depressing as the news of my family that is still ripping at my heart. At least I know that by leaving I could be saving Sango and the rest of humanity. I'd already decided if there was no way to disable the bomb inside me then I would go back to being a frozen block of ice. It was the better alternative. I looped my arm through hers desperate for a few more minutes of happiness before it was all gone. There was one more thing I needed to find out though.

"How do people travel now? Like obviously you don't use cars, or do you? Or maybe some Scotty beam me up sort of thing?" The look that crossed Sango's face caused me a moment of doubt.

"We travel just the same; only vehicles are electronically powered and set up to only travel to certain destinations. Kind of like individual trains or busses." Sango remains composed but I can see now she's trying not to laugh at me.

"That sounds very complicated, and extremely safe." I wanted to ask more but I couldn't risk her knowing that I going to need this information very soon.

"We can go for a joy ride tomorrow; the cars are only a few blocks north. And it's free to travel." Sango was giving me all the details I needed and didn't even know it. It was almost too easy.

"That sounds like fun, speaking of free, what is the currency? Is it still the same?" There was so much I had missed out on and I didn't even have time to learn all of these things.

"Oh well, it's more of an everyone helps everyone else. Almost like labor trades. We work here and the payment we get is for every essential we need in life, and overtime is made for extra things, like entertainment. Of course we don't work five to nine five days a week anymore. Just three days a week for six hours. It's really nice." I was shocked from this revelation, how did they afford to do this? Did it have something to do with the loss in population? I had so many new questions but we had arrived down in the lobby.

I'm still not sure what the logistics of the machine are, what I do know is that it will make me and about 100 other people look almost identical. With that kind of camouflage I should have no problems sneaking out. I've already made a list in my mind of things I'll need to take with me. I'm hoping the storage level has all the items I'm thinking of bringing. "So does the machine separate us into groups? Or does that happen separately?"

"You'll see, it really is quite neat." Sango and I got in line near the front and I felt my hands begin to sweat as we drew closer. What if this machine set off my bomb? I had no clue what could trigger it and I wouldn't know till I found Dr. Sential. I hope Sango would learn about what I'd done, why I'd left her so soon. I didn't want anyone else dying on my behalf.

I felt my body going into freak-out mode, my palms broke into a fierce sweat, my heart started racing, my throat started to burn. I was scared by this machine. I felt like this was going to be the last thing I was ever going to do. It was over in a flash, and I was instantly feeling foolish. I wanted to check a mirror and see what I looked like, but there didn't seem to be one nearby. I pulled my hair to one side and looked at my new silvery locks. This was shocking in and of itself.

I wanted desperately to know what I looked like, probably abnormal. Platinum was never a good hair color with my skin tone. "Wow, you look awesome, really out of this world." Sango giggled walking up behind me. I turned to look at her and was appalled by the way she looked. It was definitely going to take some getting used to. "Don't worry it won't last forever." She laughed noticing the worry that crossed my face.

"Boo." I jumped like a ridiculous school girl. InuYasha stood behind me also laughing at me. "You look weird." He commented. I really didn't enjoy him and his comments, and his always changing mood around me. How could he be playful and happy one minute and then harsh and judging the next? There was a lot of boy stuff I'd missed out on in the past sixty years and I wanted to comment about this, but it was too late.

"Let's go find out who's on what team." Sango grabbed my arm and pulled me along, InuYasha followed silently behind. I didn't even get a minute to come up with a comeback to throw in InuYasha's face. Though now that I think about it I knew that was Sango's point. The next step was extremely amazing. If you were picked by the computer as a seeker it would allow you to pass through the front gate and into a small waiting room, where the seekers would wait to the count of 400 for the game to begin. Once they were in there they were trapped. If you weren't allowed through then you were a hider.

Sango went first and was rejected. I was hoping the same would happen for me. But I didn't go second. As I was stepping up hesitantly InuYasha stepped in front of me and went. He passed through and now I was worried. I crossed my fingers and walked forward. I wasn't allowed to pass and I jumped up and down gleefully. Sango smiled and we both waved at InuYasha through the glass. Then we locked arms and left.

"Okay so I know a few really good hiding spots, but remember once the game begins we can't speak, no exceptions." She looks at me seriously and I nod gravely. That shouldn't be too hard. "I'll show you where to hide and then leave you there till the end of the game, it's one of my most successful spots, I've never been found there, I have been found trying to escape my spot though." She smiles at a fond memory and I feel a bit curious. I keep my mouth shut though. It's everything I can do not to tell Sango that I'm leaving. I know that as soon as I'm alone I'm going to have to be gone.

I'm thinking in my head of all the things I need and trying to listen to Sango as she talks about previous games. I know she thinks I'm listening because I'm nodding at the right spots and smiling when it seems like she's said something funny. I even giggle once but I know I'm not really paying attention. This also makes me feel like crap because this will most definitely be the last time we're together. Unless there's something Dr. Sential can do for me.

The game has started less than ten minutes after I've been changed into an InuYasha look-a-like, which I totally hate. Sango takes me silently along the mostly dark corridor to a staircase and we climb to the third floor, which is exactly where I need to be. She hides me in an unused cabinet that is turned against the wall. With a smile and nod Sango leaves and now I understand why she didn't stay. There is virtually no room in this cabinet for me, let alone both of us. I wait for what seems like a minute or two. I know that InuYasha will more than likely come for me first. He spoke about having a good sense of smell; I wondered momentarily if that was something that had to do with his planet. Probably.

I moved around the storage room silently. I carefully collected the items I needed, some of which included: ropes, dry foods (which was kept on this level for space issues), and a small knife I'd found stashed in a box under a microwave. Wondering who put the knife there I moved along collecting items and shoving them into a bad I'd picked up. Once I had everything I thought I might need I headed back out the exit.

I saw shadows along the wall opposite me but I knew they were only other hiders, Sango told me that an alarm would go off when the seekers were released. Kind of like a building-wide "ready or not here I come" warning. I passed the shadows and headed up the stairs.

I hoped this would work out the way I was planning. I hoped that the stairs would go all the way to the top. Though it may seem like a better idea to waltz out the front door, not to mention safer, I knew it wouldn't be easy. So I planned on lowering myself out of a window on the top floor. When I made it to the sixth floor and knew there was only one flight left I felt a wave of adrenaline rush through my veins.

I reach the top and it's the moment of truth as I rest my hand on the door knob. I turn the knob and then quickly release it. I almost screamed as an alarm goes off. I was thinking shit, I've been caught, but then I realize that's the alarm going off telling me that the seekers have been released. I relax my shoulders which had gone tense in that moment when I thought I'd gotten myself into deep trouble and then open the door and enter the seventh floor.

I instantly regret this idea. Nothing up here seems stable especially not near any of the boarded up windows. But I assume that someone had to stand there in order to board them up. I move toward the windows slowly, in my hands I'm tying knots into the rope in preparation of my descent. I get to the closest window and work the wooden cover off the window. The cool night air rushes in to greet me and I work on finding a place to tie off my rope. I find a sturdy looking column that seems to be put up in order to keep the ceiling from caving in.

This doesn't comfort me in any way. I am dropping myself out the window when something unexpected happens. Another alarm goes off. This is when I realize that the alarm earlier hadn't been to release the seekers, but instead been triggered by me entering this floor. I didn't know how much time I had to get out now, but I did know I was running out of time. I propelled myself down remembering all the times I went rock climbing with my mother when I was younger.

Just as I was out of sight of the door I heard it open. I knew instantly who it was and I was to the ground and looking up before my thoughts were confirmed. Sango looked down at me a look of disappointment on her face. I knew it was her because if it had been InuYasha the look on that face would have been angry. Instead Sango looked down at me with remorse and disappointment and I felt terrible. I gave a sad smile then turned and ran. I didn't know how long I had before InuYasha came after me. And who knows, maybe he won't even bother.

End Chapter

It is not as long as l wanted it to be, but I plan on updating again soon. Forgive me for any errors hope you liked it! Leave a review! Thanks again Lizzie


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha, just thought I'd make that clear.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed, I am surprised this is getting updated so soon, I was suffering from intense writer's block and then I read this hilarious line in a book that wasn't even meant to be funny and I was like…OMG I need to update! Lol J enjoy!

Chapter 8 To Con A Con-Artist

"What are we going to do?" Sango stood next to InuYasha both of them staring out the seventh floor window in the direction that Kagome had disappeared. Sango turned away from the window and flinched as InuYasha's fist shot out and slammed into the wood on the next window. "She came back last time, maybe she'll come back again."

"That I doubt, she took stuff from storage, they have her on the video feeds, there is no way she was just planning on taking a walk around the block." InuYasha rubbed his knuckles and Sango glanced at them hoping they weren't bleeding. They weren't but InuYasha was clearly upset.

"Where do you think she's going?" Sango tried to think back to her conversations with Kagome but nothing they'd spoken about brought up any red flags.

Instead of answering InuYasha turned away from the window and shot across the old dusty floor. He was at the staircase before Sango had a chance to move. Without a word she followed. "I don't know where she's going, but maybe we can find out what she was researching on the database. That might give us an idea of where to start looking."

"She did seem a bit jumpy that first day when I came in to see her for the first time, maybe she didn't get lost out there that day." Sango remembered the guilty look that had crossed Kagome's face in the library and how she had quickly shut the web page she had up. It was definitely possible that she could have found something she didn't like about InuYasha's people.

"What are you saying?" InuYasha stopped and turned mid-step. "That she ran into an older friend, or someone who's against us?"

Sango shrugged, "I can't say for sure, knowing Kagome like I did she's very good at putting two and two together, and she never miss-judges any person. Her instincts are un-canning." InuYasha turned from her and they continued down the stairs.

"Then what did she figure out?" It was more of a question to himself but Sango heard him loud and clear and was thinking the same thing.

"There's nothing about you and your people that I don't know is there?" Sango doubted this very much, there wasn't much of a chance of hiding a deep dark past from someone who lives with you for 60 years.

InuYasha let out a bitter laugh, "No there is nothing you don't know Sango, and don't worry, you said so yourself, Kagome has good instincts, she won't get into anything she can't handle." They arrived at the library minutes later and InuYasha sat down at the console where he knew Kagome had done most of her research.

"Did she cover her tracks?" Sango asked reading the history file over his shoulder. He scrolled down examining the sites from the database that she had visited. Every entry had one thing in common.

"She found out about CancerX," InuYasha began but Sango was already coming to conclusions.

"She knows who she is." That was the only reason Kagome would be looking for Dr. Sential.

"We don't know that, maybe she's trying to figure out who she is, someone gave her a clue and I think now she's trying to get answers." InuYasha thought through the few conversations he had had with Kagome, but nothing seemed to insinuate she knew more than she let on.

"Why didn't she ask us?" Sango was confused by her friend's reaction, she needed answers as well. "Why did she leave?"

"I don't know Sango, but maybe we can go after her and convince her to come back. She might be afraid to tell us what she's remembered." InuYasha clicked on a link that Kagome had visited several times. "You said so yourself she just up and left one day without a word, there are about two years of her life that you don't know Sango, whatever she's remembered or learned about, it has scared her, or made her realize something."

"But what is it?" Sango pursed her lips and stared to pace, thinking wasn't doing her any good, but she was still up for trying.

"Maybe she went after this guy." InuYasha pulled up a picture of Dr. Sential, and Sango turned to look.

"That's him." She moved closer to look at him and to make sure she had it right.

"Him who?" InuYasha turned to watch his friend; she was definitely on to something. "Who is he Sango?"

"He's the guy she left me for, she was my best friend, and we were inseparable. I was at her apartment one day and he showed up out of the blue, Kagome wouldn't tell me who he was. She made me leave, told me she'd explain when she could. That was the last day I saw her. I assumed she left with him. I didn't realize he was a doctor, but I'd know that face anywhere." Sango told the shortest version of that story, she didn't mention the fight they'd had over the phone, the way Kagome had been cryptic and scared. Like she'd done something wrong, or went too far. Like it had been her last option.

"So you think she's going to find this man?" InuYasha waited for her to respond while he read the little blurb about Dr. Sential under the picture.

"Definitely, whoever he is Kagome knows him and is more than likely looking for him." Sango took the mouse from InuYasha and scrolled down to the bottom of the screen. "He's living in New York, there is probably a number on here somewhere we should call and see if he remembers her."

InuYasha nodded his head, "Then we are headed to find Kagome. Where do you think she went?"

Sango thought for a moment, "She asked me about travel earlier, about cars and also about money. I think she's headed for the travel station."

"Good idea, let's get the number and then find her, fast. There's no telling how long we're going to have." InuYasha scribbled a number down on a scrap of paper and then they got up to leave.

* * *

It had taken four gut wrenching minutes to get my travel ticket and directions to the nearest working phone, which happened to be just around the corner from where my travel car would pull into the station. I stood at the pay phone looking at the number I had scribbled on a scrap of paper. I wondered if this doctor would really be able to help me. I had felt momentary guilt at leaving Sango behind again, but she deserved to live a happy life, and that couldn't happen if I exploded and killed everyone. I picked up the receiver and dialed the number. It rang three times before going to an operator who redirected the call to Dr. Sential's office number.

"This is Dr. Sential, I'm a bit busy right now so speak quickly." His voice was smooth and deep down a part of me recognized it, but I don't know which part.

I faltered for a minute not sure how I could convince this perfect stranger that I was someone he was sure was frozen in a tin can somewhere. "Um…I think I know you, and I need your help." Well so much for not being cryptic, now he's for sure to hang up on me.

"Who is this?" I could hear something being dropped and then Dr. Sential cursed.

"My name is Kagome Higurashi, I think we used to know each other." Everything was silent and I looked around me checking to make sure I was still alone. "Hello?"

"Kagome? Is that really you?" His voice caught as if he'd lost the ability to breathe.

"Um, yeah I'm Kagome, look I was told you could help me with a problem I have…" I was going to continue telling him about my disposition when a beep emitted from my plastic travel ticket.

"I know about your issue, you are talking about the time bomb right? Look, I've spent the last 60 years trying to find a way to fix that, I need you here so I can test a few theories though, can you come to New York?" It was as if he knew my plan, which was nice because that meant I didn't have to explain it.

"I've got a travel ticket already, I'm on my way, only I need some information about someone, maybe you could help me out with that too." I was trying to find a way to ask my questions, but I was coming up short.

"What is it Kagome?" I glanced around me again feeling as if I was being followed but I didn't see anyone at all.

"Look, I don't really remember much about myself or my past, just my family and kind of what I did for a living, but other than that it's all foggy and vague, but what can you tell me about a person named InuYasha?" I wish I knew what InuYasha was or whether or not I could trust him.

"Are you with him? Is he the one who took you from me?" Now I was lost, why was I never kept in the loop?

"What do you mean?" My ticket beeped again, reminding me that my travel car had arrived and I needed to board.

"Kagome I had you here in my lab, then one day you went missing, was it InuYasha that took you? I'm going to kill that bastard, always getting in my way." He grumbled for a few more minutes as I eagerly came to InuYasha's defense, though I don't know why.

"InuYasha rescued me from some crazy psycho; Naraku was the one who kidnapped me." I set the record straight only to have Dr. Sential grumbling some more in my ear.

"InuYasha is someone you need to get away from, can you come to me? Or should I send someone to come retrieve you?" My ticket beeped earnestly and I nodded, then feeling stupid I answered his question.

"Yes I can come to you; my travel car is here ready to take me to New York." I glanced around me again still feeling like someone was watching me, but the travel station was vacant.

"Okay, well you better get going then; don't want you to miss it." He paused for a moment as if there was something more he wanted to say. "Just whatever you do Kagome, don't get hurt."

"Don't worry about—" I paused as I caught sight of silvery hair out of the corner of my eye. "Shit they found me." Without waiting on Dr. Sential's response I threw down the receiver and ran. I was closer to the travel car than they were to me. As I ran I worked the plastic ticket from my pocket.

"Kagome please stop!" As I neared the travel car the doors rushed opened and I jumped inside. They whooshed shut behind me and seconds later two fists pounded into the glass. I looked up shocked by the violent strike to the window. InuYasha looked at me through confused eyes and guilt stabbed at the core of my body. I felt bad for a long moment but I knew I was doing the right thing and I knew he had no idea what I was. I hit the release button and my travel car prepared for takeoff.

"I'm sorry." I looked deep into his amber eyes and thought about how much I would miss them, even in the short time I had to enjoy them. He stepped back a look of determination lining his face and I shook my head at him hoping to discourage him from following me which I knew he was thinking about doing. It wasn't enough to change his mind though. I would have to figure out a way to avoid another run in with him. I waved a solemn goodbye as my travel car pulled away from the lot.

* * *

"Did you find her?" Sango jogged up to InuYasha who was still standing rigidly and clearly had found something.

"She got away." He growled still glaring after her; the travel car however, was now out of sight.

"Well, at least we know where she's going." Sango handed him a ticket stub that the travel booth had provided. "She's headed to New York, just like we suspected."

"She has to be going after that doctor. She was on the phone we can trace it and double check, but I'm sure she was talking to him." Sango noticed InuYasha's clenched fists and wondered why he was so upset.

"She must have her memories back." Sango touched his arm lightly. "Maybe we should let her go."

"I don't think so, I saved her life, the least she can do is give me a reason for her leaving. We're going after her." He took the travel ticket and checked for her arrival time.

"Don't you think you're taking this a bit far?" Sango turned him to face her so she could glare up at him effectively.

"A bit far? She's your best friend and you don't even care, someone's got to. Why are you so willing to let her go again?" Sango stepped back a bit feeling his anger in waves.

"I got over it last time." Sango's voice was light devoid of all emotions. "And it's not like I have and right to keep her here, you're acting like you've claimed her."

There was a moment of pause before InuYasha let out his usual response to any statement he didn't like. "Feh."

Sango gasped as a few pieces flew together. "Oh my God! Did you kiss her?" InuYasha turned away from her, "You did, didn't you? I can't believe you! You can't do that to her! She doesn't know your customs! Why did you let that happen?"

"Look, I know what I did was wrong, I don't know why I did it, it just happened okay? And after it happened I fixed it." He ran a clawed hand through his long hair.

"I didn't know there was a way to take back the claim." Sango had seen the ritual happen several times but had never seen it reversed. InuYasha's kind didn't do divorce, their love lasted a lifetime.

"It can't be, but I made it easier on myself to let her go, I pissed her off and pushed her away, then kept her there at arm's length. It worked too well and now she's gone." He released a heavy sigh and Sango saw the pain in his eyes.

"I'm so sorry InuYasha. Do you really want to go after her? I mean if she has her memories back then she'll be back with him, which would just be too much for you to see." InuYasha knew Sango had a point but he had to see Kagome again.

"I have to talk to her, and make sure this is what she really wants, and then I'll let her go. My feelings won't change but they can be numbed and eventually they will disappear." InuYasha wasn't telling Sango everything, but there was nothing she could do to help him now anyway.

"Are you going to tell her what that kiss meant?" Sango hated seeing her friend in pain, and knew that his claim would forever haunt him if he didn't keep his mate.

"No," He didn't wait for her to object. "I don't want to make her feel guilty for something she had no control over and besides it's better this way, she clearly doesn't want to be anywhere near me. I do need to see her one last time though; I need to apologize to her."

"Okay, well we know where she's going so let's just beat her there." Sango turned to head out of the travel station.

"Thank you Sango." InuYasha surprised her with his words.

"C'mon InuYasha let's go get Kagome, oh and don't thank me yet you might just regret this decision." She smiled and they left.

* * *

AN: Okay, so I really wanted to make this a bit longer, but I decided that if I did that then I would never get this chapter published :) I'm going to work on the next chapter and have it up before I leave for New York, after that I can't make any promises on when I'll be updating because at that point I'll be attending college! So I hope you all enjoyed the update and more to come soon.

­­­­


	9. Chapter 9

A nice big long chapter! Hope you all enjoy!

disclaimer: I don't own Inu and co.

Chapter Nine You, Me, and That Thing in Between

It took me all of five minutes to find the emergency brakes, but before I hit the button I had a few things to consider. I knew I was only five minutes outside of Chicago and if I got off now I'd have to find a new way to get to New York. Plus I world need a phone in order to call Dr. Sential. So I decided to wait till I arrived in Buffalo before getting off. The map on the console told me I still had another six hours before that happened. At a rate of roughly 90 miles per hour I was making very good time. I watched out the window wondering why there weren't any other travel cars in use.

I ran her fingers through my silver hair admiring the color. I wished I had a mirror to look at myself. I knew I wouldn't recognize myself, and that thought worried me. I couldn't remember how long Sango said the transformation lasted and I hoped it would be gone before I had to meet up with Dr. Sential. The last thing I wanted him to know was that I had enjoyed my momentary stay with Sango and InuYasha. My ride was long and boring me to a point of insanity and I hadn't even been gone that long. I didn't have a way of telling time but I knew that it was still a long way from Buffalo. Now that I was away from the city it was pitch black outside of my car.

The dome light was still on and I spent the next few minutes trying to figure out how to set it to dim, or even shut it off. I finally identified a small knob as the adjustment for the brightness. I turned it as low as it would go then laid back to rest my eyes. I had a feeling that as soon as I arrived it'd be a while before I'd have another chance to close my eyes. If I wasn't mistaken Dr. Sential would have several questions for me. I laid there drifting between nightmares and oblivion, never quite falling asleep as my mind played through thousands of explosion scenes where everyone I loved died.

I allowed my mind to torture me because I knew it was the only way I was going to be able to convince myself to return to the freezer if Dr. Sential couldn't help me. Even through the haze of my dreamlike state I noticed immediately when the car started to slow considerably. I bolted upright in my seat and searched out my window to see what was going on. There was no way I'd slept for 6 hours. Outside the window things were lit up again with nearby city lights. I was passing through a station that must mean I had to stop. I checked the control panel; it was asking if I wanted to bypass the rest area. I hit the green button and my car sped back up.

Relaxing considerably I laid back in my seat not even worried about where I was. I could only guess I was in Indiana, it seemed as if it could be possible. Though I knew I wasn't going to be traveling through the capital. This was a straight shot to my destination, which is probably why it wasn't as long of a trip as if I were driving it on a typical crowded highway.

I closed my eyes again and thought about the bomb inside of me. From previous experiences with bombs I knew it had to be in a very secure spot, and that limited the options. It would seem logical to hide it between two bones at a joint, but not one that was loose, like an elbow, that would be out of the question. I really wished I could remember the mechanics of it all, that way I could begin finding a way to reverse the damage.

I bypassed two more rest areas before stopping at one somewhere in Pennsylvania. I made a point of searching the area for anything suspicious before getting out and finding the nearest bathroom. While I was at it she checked a map to see how close I was. On paper it looked like a long way to go, but I knew it wouldn't be much further.

(AN: Okay I'm sorry about the above information, I was rambling trying to get to the next scene and so far it hasn't worked, so I'm testing a new theory. Since this has been the bane of my writer's block I figure there is one way to fix it. So, two claps for skipping right to the next scene! *clap* *clap* Alright then! Moving on! Okay so I'm starting up right as Koga arrives in his uber cool helicopter to pick Kagome up! Please continue enjoying this, hopefully there will be no further interruptions.)

My body recognized him right as he stepped out of the helicopter. My mouth went dry, my cheeks grew hot, my heart sped up, my hands began sweating, and my insides felt like liquid heat. My brain was slow to catch up, or maybe even in denial. I didn't know for sure. I watched him walk towards me, his body tense his face grim. My body anticipated his arrival in front of me but my head was telling me this was all wrong.

I didn't know which instinct to follow, so I just stood as still as possible. The wind picked up blowing his hair around his face and my insides squirmed. I frowned at the clash in feelings between my head and body. It was more than just a little confusing. And it only got worse. As he stood before me with no realization of the war my body was waging on itself. He raised his hand and ran it through my hair, and that was when I remembered that I still had silvery white hair. Blushing in shame I backed away from him.

"How did this happen?" he asked still eyeing my hair, confusion in his eyes.

I couldn't bring myself to tell him the truth so instead I hurriedly tried to explain it away into nothing. "It was supposed to have gone away by now, it was only supposed to last for a few hours I don't know what's wrong with me!" l didn't get to finish my explanation. Instead I found myself pulled into a warm and happy hug.

"You haven't changed a bit." He whispered happily in my ear. This was a shock to me and was not what I was expecting. He noticed my rigidness and pulled back to look into my eyes. "Kagome is everything okay?"

I looked up at him a bit unsure of myself "l…umm …" I frowned unsure of how I was going to explain my memory loss situation. "I've lost parts of my memory." There that wasn't so hard.

"You don't remember me?" He frowned and I couldn't tell if he was thinking or upset. "Then how did you know to come find me?"

"An old friend made a point of seeking me out and reminding me of my ticking dilemma." I shrugged as I rubbed the small knot that still remained on the back of my head; I was still feeling a bit awkward at the relative closeness of him.

"I see, so you don't remember me at all, what all do you remember?" He stepped back realizing my discomfort.

My gut churned at the loss of his body heat even though my head felt more relaxed. For some reason I felt it necessary to console him. "A part of me remembers you, but I have no tangible memories of you."

"So we just have to find a way to remind you, something to spark a memory. It should only take one tiny thing in order for your memories to return." He paused to think for a moment.

I was feeling a bit troubled, granted I knew I could trust Dr. Sential but I didn't like being out in the open like we were."Can we figure this out somewhere safer?" I insisted looking around me cautiously.

"Of course, we can figure this out on the way to my office." He reached down as if by habit and took my hand and a small shock ran through my body. A memory flashed through my head but my brain was too foggy to figure out what it was, or maybe it was fighting this. I didn't understand it, but I wasn't exactly trying my hardest to remember who Dr. Sential was to me.

He helped me into the helicopter and then got in taking a seat next to me. Our knees brushed and another memory sparked in my brain, which was still trying its hardest to ignore my memories. I was having an internal argument with my brain but it wasn't cooperating like it should have been. I didn't understand it so I dropped it. I gave up trying and it stopped being a pain.

The ride was silent Dr. Sential seemed to be lost in thought, perhaps thinking of a memory we shared that would be easy for me to recall. I hoped he came up with something because I was tired of the strain my heart was putting me through. It begged me to take his hand, to rest my head on his shoulder, to run my fingers through his beautiful hair but it wouldn't tell me why. I thought if it would just give me a straight up reason then I might consider it.

He turned to me suddenly and I leaned back not giving my body the satisfaction it wanted. He looked confused and unsure for a moment. "Would you mind if I…uh…" Instead of asking right out he brought his hand up slowly to show that he wasn't going to hurt me he brushed the hair back from my face and tucked it behind my ear. Unconsciously I leaned into his hand and he took that as a further invitation to do whatever he had planned next.

I was momentarily shocked when his lips met mine and the shock was only in my head. My body instantly relaxed into his arms and—against my brains will—my lips parted slightly. He deepened the kiss both hands now buried in my hair; it was intense and passionate like he had wanted this one thing for all of his life. When he broke the kiss he gently nipped at my bottom lip. "Do you remember now onna?"

Up until that moment I hadn't, but that small name he'd called me, his pet name for me, struck a nerve. My brain burst with memories and I smiled broadly. I knew everything about the man in front of me; I knew what it was my body was complaining about now and I quickly did what it wanted. I threw my arms around him in a giant hug. "Koga, I remember."

He laughed deep in his chest holding me tightly and a small part in the back of my mind was tinged with guilt that I couldn't place. I laughed with him my happiness out-weighing my guilt. He pulled out of the hug to claim my lips again. I could now remember everything; my mind no longer had dark shadowed corners. I pulled back and looked up at Koga. "We need to get to work."

"Yes we do." He agreed a grim look tainting his perfect smile. He fingered some of my hair. "And you have some explaining to do; I've been worried sick about you."

My smile was gone now too. "Yes, we can work and talk, I'll catch you up on everything."

--O.O--

InuYasha watched in anticipation as Kagome's car pulled into the station. He'd thought of a few ways to convince her not to do this. He hoped he could make this strictly professional. He couldn't afford to let his emotions drive him, not right now. The car pulled to a stop the tinted windows glinting in the light. He couldn't see inside the window but he was sure she could see him.

He was momentarily surprised when the seal released on the door, he was sure he'd have to fight her in order for her to get out, but then he found out why. The compartment was empty. He pounded his fist on the hood of the car, then left to find Sango and tell her the bad news.

Once he'd told her she frowned for a moment. "Well, it's not like we don't know where she's headed."

InuYasha nodded wondering why he hadn't thought of that himself. "It's going to take time to refuel the chopper, let's grab a bite to eat and think about what to do once we get there."

"InuYasha this isn't going to be the same as breaking her out of Naraku's compound, she wants to be with him." Sango reminded him of the one thing he was trying not to think about.

"If I can just get her to talk to me then I know I can convince her to come back with us." InuYasha tried to convince Sango but she was still skeptical.

"Why don't we just do this the easy way." Sango suggested.

"If that means leaving her here then hell no." Was InuYasha's gruff reply.

"No, what I mean is we go in the front door ask to speak with Dr. Sential and Kagome and work this out like adults. After all she has a say in where she's at, it's her life." Sango explained sounding more and more cut off from her feelings with each passing word.

"Sango don't give up just yet, I know we can convince her okay?" He laid a hand on her shoulder getting her attention. "Please don't pretend like you don't care."

"I care InuYasha; I just don't have any hope." She gave a sad smile. "It's easier that way."

He nodded in slight agreement, he hadn't yet had his heart broken in quite the same way and so had no past experience. He was sure of his persuasive abilities and knew he'd have Kagome back at his base soon enough. "I won't let you down Sango." His words finished the conversation and they both stayed quiet lost in their separate thoughts.

--O.O--

I was indulging in a chocolate confection that Koga had given me to shut me up for a few minutes so he could think. I was trying to explain to him how I'd ended up with InuYasha and Sango but he didn't seem to be absorbing the information. He seemed a bit distracted and I was unsure as to why. I'd tied my hair into a high bun and put on a hat that I stole from a display in the office we were now sitting in.

"Tell me about the first thing you remember after waking up." Koga was still trying to get detailed information that I didn't exactly recall, my memory had been taxed over the past few days and all I really wanted was to get into the lab and start testing myself for possible cures to my dilemma.

"I thought I was in a police observation room, I woke up and everything was bright white, that's the first thing I saw. Someone was there asking me questions and I was covering my ass with lies, but that didn't matter, they knew everything there was to know about me." I licked my thumb and index finger the chocolate now gone.

"Did they tell you what they wanted from you?" Koga started to pace around the room clearly frustrated at my lack of concentration.

"Naraku wanted to use me for something, I'm assuming now that he knew about the bomb and wanted to set me off." I grumbled recalling his sneering face in my mind. "He was trying too hard to be nice to me, I didn't believe his act for one second."

"He didn't hurt you did he?" Koga looked at me seriously and I wanted to roll my eyes.

It was a typical boyfriend question. "No, he was making promises I knew he wouldn't keep, and so I took my first chance at escape which happened to be in the form of InuYasha."

He grimaced. "This is where I get confused. How did InuYasha know where to find you? And how did he know that you were valuable."

"You know if I wasn't being rescued at the time and then forced into the most nauseating and mind numbing ride back to earth I might have taken the time to ask about his interest in me, but I figured that may be rude." I felt momentary regret at my spiteful answer. "Besides I didn't see InuYasha again after we got out of the compound till we were on the ship and at that point I was not in the most talkative of moods." I remembered the pain in my head and the churning in my stomach and hoped I'd never have to travel that way again for the rest of my life.

"It doesn't make any sense, there were only a limited number of people who knew about you. All of them are dead except me and the previous head of the NSA and he's been senile for years." He stopped his pacing at the sound of commotion coming from beyond the entrance to his office. "What's going on?" He asked himself aloud.

I waited for a moment listening intently and I heard a familiar 'Feh' and groaned. He just wouldn't give up would he? "InuYasha has found me." I didn't want this to happen, why he couldn't just get it through his thick skull that I had other, more important matters to attend to I didn't know, but I was going to hurt him very soon. After all there was only one reason he could be following me and he could get his stupid tests at a later date, if I survived that long.

"Who?" Koga looked at me puzzled as if we hadn't just spent the last half an hour talking about InuYasha.

I raised a critical eyebrow seriously not wanting to explain this again. Koga was having a dense moment. "He's the one who brought me home."

Realization hit his face and then he frowned. "Go into the lab, I'll get rid of him." I did as I was told and waited just behind a metal door inside the lab.

I got there just in time. "Where is she?" InuYasha burst into the room and looked around frantically.

"Who the hell do you think you are coming in here and making demands like you own the place?" Koga growled keeping InuYasha's attention away from the metal door.

InuYasha advanced on him seething. "I want you to tell me where you're keeping her."

"She came here of her own free will, and she is staying with me, I suggest you walk out that door and don't look back." I frowned unsure about how this conversation was going to end. I didn't know what InuYasha was capable of doing but I was sure he would tear Koga apart given the chance.

"Like hell I will, tell me where she is before I tear this place apart." InuYasha yelled confirming my thoughts.

"I'd like to see you try." I was mentally smacking Koga for his stupidity, apparently he now thought he was invincible. What was it with men these days?

I peeked around the edge of the door and saw InuYasha pin him up against a wall growling ferociously. "Tell me where she is." This time when he spoke his voice was low and threatening making me shiver where I stood.

I knew I had to do something or things were going to get messy, I would deal with InuYasha and then get back to my medical dilemma. "InuYasha cut it out!" I rushed to him and pulled him away from Koga.

His shock was momentary. "You're coming back with me, now." He took my arm and pulled me against him.

I was starting to get annoyed, I glared up at InuYasha but didn't get a word in before Koga was shouting again. "Like hell she is, she is staying right here." Koga grabbed my other arm and pulled me away from InuYasha. "In case you were too dense to notice Kagome is with me and has chosen to be here and not with you, let her go and get out. I don't have time to put up with this every minute you stand in this room is one minute less of Kagome's life, so if you don't mind." He yanked on my arm earning a glare from me and a growl from InuYasha. I knew one way to rectify this situation and it was going to end with no violence and no arguing.

But of course, before I could even open my mouth to speak someone else, namely InuYasha, was speaking over me. "What the hell are you talking about?" InuYasha continued to growl still not releasing his hold on me. I was sure my arms would be bruised; I didn't know which one to kill first.

"It's none of your concern. Let her go and get out." Koga reached out to free my arm, still not letting go of my other arm, I stopped him before he got the chance.

He looked at me momentarily shocked but I ignored him. "You don't know…" I stared up at InuYasha seeking the truth in his eyes.

He looked down at me clearly upset and confused himself. "What do you mean?" He loosened his grip a bit and I pulled away from both of them.

Koga pulled me to him, getting my attention as he whispered in my ear. "Kagome we don't have time for this, you're running out of time."

InuYasha growled his amber eyes flashing red. "You are seriously going to piss me off." I pulled away from Koga seeing the brief confusion in his expression but not paying attention, I had a few things that needed to be sorted out before I completely allowed Koga to make every decision for me.

Glaring Koga clenched his free fist fully intending on using it. I wasn't going to be interrupted again. "Stop it! Right this instant!" I moved away from both of them giving them both hard glares so they understood that I was pissed. They both stopped their battle of dominance to stare at me in shock. "Now pay attention, I'm sick of all this fighting." I turned to InuYasha and for the first time realized Sango was standing there behind him. She was watching her feet ignoring the conversation completely. I didn't like the emptiness in her expression that I could barely see behind her bangs. "InuYasha," I paused to get her attention. "Sango," She looked to me confused "I have a bomb inside of me." I raised a hand as InuYasha opened his mouth to yell stopping him before he even takes a breath. I take note of Sango's horrified expression and close my eyes against the painful thoughts she must be having. "It was supposed to be used to kill the Cancer X, but Koga couldn't send me to my death, so he drugged me and put me into a cryo freezer so I could be preserved till he could find a way to stop the bomb." Kagome smiles weakly. "Before he was able to start finding a way to disable the bomb he had to alter his own DNA so that he would stop aging. And he did, but before he could find a cure for my dilemma someone—who I can only assume was Naraku—stole me. This was about a month ago." I gave the two a moment to fully understand but they both seemed shocked into silence. "So now you know and you really should leave. We have no time to put up with any more delays."

InuYasha took my hand after a long silent moment. "Let me help." He looked at me determined to convince me of his helpfulness.

I didn't know what to say, thankfully Koga found his tongue again and was able to fill the silence for me. "I've been working on this for 60 years, what do you think you could possibly do to help?" Koga glared at InuYasha.

InuYasha looked away from me for a moment to glare at Koga. "Do you not know who I am? I have resources that would prove helpful." InuYasha still hadn't released my hand and I couldn't say I minded too much, which wasn't helpful to my poor heart that was now in a crisis as my brain sided with InuYasha and my heart sided with Koga.

"I know who you look like, but then so do you all." I frowned at this statement remembering that my hair still hadn't returned to its normal color. I used my free hand to pull a few strands to my face for inspection. I really wanted to know what was wrong with me. Sango's hair had gone back to normal, her eyes back to their pretty green.

"I want to help you Kagome." Sango finally spoke receiving everyone's attention.

I turned to my best friend, my hand that InuYasha held dropped to my side. "Sango the further you are from me right now the safer you are, I don't want you to get hurt."

She smiled sadly at me a tear falling down her cheek. "Kagome, I just got you back, I'm not leaving even at the risk of my own life." She knew what she wanted and she wasn't going to let me stop her.

"That's so stupid Sango!" I tried to frown at my friend, to think of some way to discourage her from wanting to be around me, but I didn't have any idea as to who she was anymore. I didn't know what would convince her to stay away from me.

"Kagome I've lived my life long enough, I'm ready to risk it for you." Her smile lightened. "I don't want to get old without my best friend." She reached out and pulled me into a tight hug.

"Alright, but if time runs out I'm going back into a cryo tank and you are going to go back to your life, Koga and I have already discussed this and it's what I want." I agreed feeling a rush of relief as my best friend squeezed me tight.

"Kagome I promise you it won't come to that." Koga assured me.

"How much time do we have?" InuYasha asked ignoring Koga as best he could.

I pulled back from Sango wiping a small tear from my cheek. "23 days." I kept my eyes on my feet knowing what Koga's reaction would be.

"You've been awake for 7 days already?" Koga yelled, just as I expected, what I didn't expect was him to grab me and pull me up to face him. The concern in his eyes way torture, I sagged a bit knowing what would happen to him if I had to be frozen again. It nearly killed him the first time.

"I was going to explain, I just haven't had time, I'm sorry, I would have been here sooner but it's not so easy, I wasn't sure how to get here." I explained regretting waiting so long and getting comfortable with InuYasha.

"I'm sorry," He pulled me into a hug. "I didn't mean to yell, we'll just have to work twice as hard and twice as fast." Koga's face became grim in determination; he was ready to get started. He released me and looked up at InuYasha.

"Yes, things are going to be rushed." I nodded in agreement noticing InuYasha's bristled demeanor and Sango's hand on his shoulder as if her small fingers were holding him back.

"So we're allowed to stay?" Sango asked as a distraction, regaining everyone's attention.

"So long as you stay out of the way, then yes, I am not letting Kagome go back into a cryo tank." Koga turns from them and heads to the metal door I was hiding behind a few minutes before. "We need to get started." InuYasha was strangely quiet especially with the way Koga was giving orders. I was apprehensive about this but I didn't let it distract me. I would analyze it later, if time permitted.

We follow Koga into the laboratory filled with big shiny machinery and giant glass structures. "I have one lab partner who is assisting me he will be here in an hour or so." Koga explained. "Here are her charts and here is an x-ray of the bomb." I didn't look at the x-ray I knew what it looked like but I waited as InuYasha and Sango did each frowning in thought.

"Where do we start?" InuYasha questioned scanning over some of my lab tests.

"What about surgery?" Sango suggested.

"That's not possible." I informed her. "It's a nano chip in my spine, and it's impossible to remove without killing me." Though if time ran out it'd be more preferable that I be dead rather than the whole world. I kept that thought to myself.

"Why the hell did you put a bomb in her spine?" InuYasha looked to Koga accusingly his anger flaring.

"Because it was the only stable place to put the bomb, anywhere else and the first time she accidentally trips and falls down she'd dead and the world is evaporated." Koga explained as if it were obvious.

"Dear God Kagome, why in the world did you do it?" He looked down at me certainly upset with me. I found that I didn't like that look in his eyes, especially since it was directed at me.

I knew why and I had to come clean eventually. "Because all of this was my fault." My shoulders dropped and I looked down at my feet.

"What do you mean?" Sango laid a hand on my shoulder trying to comfort me.

I sighed heavily not liking where this conversation was going, but I knew it had to be done. "I mean it was me. It was my program that created this parasite, my program that killed my brother and millions of other innocent people. It was my program that led to the destruction of the world as we knew it." A tear spilled over my cheek, still grieving for the loss of my brother by my own hand.

"Shh, it's okay, just stay calm." Koga pulled me to his side and cradled me in his arm planting a soft kiss on the top of my head. I had already told him about my family and had a good cry over that also wetting the front of his shirt like I had InuYasha's.

"That's why you left, not because you were in love, but because you wanted to help with the disease?" Sango frowned trying to understand what she was hearing.

"Koga and I combined our two specialties and we created Zenith, or as everyone now calls it Cancer X." I explained through wiping away my tears.

"Koga why didn't you take the suicide mission?" InuYasha glared at him clearly thinking that he was less of a man. He didn't expect me to stand up for Koga.

I pushed away from Koga to stand between him and InuYasha protectively. "Because his part of the parasite didn't malfunction, mine did. We called it Zenith after his genetic alteration, because it was what made it all work, they started calling it Cancer X after my hack program because my program took over."

Koga didn't take my explanation, instead he gave his own answer. "InuYasha don't for one second think that I didn't do everything in my power to try and stop her. She had it done one day while I was at a press conference. I came back just as they were stitching her up." Koga sighed heavily recalling that memory with restrained horror. I knew he was looking down at me with dismay so I refused to turn around.

InuYasha grabbed me by the shoulders. "What is wrong with you?" He shook me a bit so angry that he didn't realize he was hurting me. I took the pain more bothered by his distraught face.

"Get your hands off of her! You're hurting her!" Koga growled at him pushing him away from me.

Sango saw too that I wasn't denying the pain and stepped in as well. "InuYasha calm down!" Sango pulled him back from me and Koga.

I bowed my head in shame. "I know it was stupid." I whispers refusing to allow more tears to come. "But at that time we didn't know that the parasite wasn't going to attack other species in order to save itself. Koga and I had argued about it and he was refusing to allow me to do it and so I took the first opportunity to go behind his back and have the procedure done anyway."

"If she had waited three more days none of this would be happening, we'd be old and happy without a care in the world." Koga predicted wistfully. Everyone was silent the dramatic situation taking a toll on all of us.

"I'm so sorry." I looked up at InuYasha my tears brimming in my eyes. I wanted nothing more than for all of this to go away but I knew there was no such thing a magic. InuYasha frowned hating this whole predicament. He knew I was foolish but at the time I had thought I was doing the right thing. There was nothing we could do to take it back.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Sango cut through my thoughts. "I would have come with you, you know I would have." Sango pulled me into another hug and I wanted to collapse.

"I didn't have a choice, I got a call and then Koga showed up. You remember that day. Anyway the government had me under duress. I had to go, so I left that day, no questions asked. No phone call, no nothing." I sniffed a little as I hugged my best friend fiercely.

"I'm so sorry I hated you. I thought you left me because you didn't have any use for me anymore." Sango admitted.

I laughed, "Of course not silly, you're my best friend ever, I never meant to hurt you, there just wasn't any way for me to tell you what was going on." I pulled out of our hug and looked her in the eyes. "I would never hurt you on purpose."

She was clearly relieved and we shared a smile. "I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you too." We shared another hug and then I knew it was time to get back to figuring out what was wrong with me.

"You said the side effects weren't bothering you anymore?" Koga asked me referring to the fainting spells and stomach sickness I'd had right after the surgery.

"Not once," I commented wondering if my body still hadn't completely thawed out enough for it to be having the reactions yet. "Maybe after another few days they'll return, I was frozen solid for a long time."

"Let's hope not, if they come back that's just another thing we'll have to worry about." Koga said. He left us to take a seat at a tall metal table. "I've got a few acid formulas I could use some help with, InuYasha." I knew he hated admitting the need for help. "I was thinking maybe we could break down the metal compound that activates the nano bomb with some acid, but I can't think of a way to keep it from also burning her internal organs." InuYasha joined Koga at the table reading the formula over his shoulder.

"Come with me, this is more our specialty anyway." I dragged Sango over to a table and showed her the designs for the nano bomb. "This is the activation compound he's talking about. It's the only part visible inside of me, the rest is completely hidden between my L1 and L2. We had to have them anchored together in order to keep them from moving and pinching the bomb." I showed her another x-ray with a closer view so she could see better what I was describing to her.

"Kagome how long did it take you to recover after this was put in?" Sango asked me the look on her face hinting that she thought this was an extensive surgery.

"It took me about six hours, Sango at that time they had just begun using nano bots to speed up the healing process, it was an experimental option that I was willing to test out. It really worked, is that not what we use now days for healing? It was a genius technology." I was sure this was technology of the future and since I was in the future now I assumed it was being put to good use.

Sango didn't answer me instead she turned on her heel and stomped toward Koga. She turned him to face her and punched him square in the nose. "You idiot!" She screamed at him, I was holding her back now not sure if she was going to go for another hit.

"What the hell?" Koga looked at her as if she were crazy.

"She was healed with nano bots! How could you be so stupid!" I didn't understand and Koga suffered a moment of confusion then his face lit up with realization. He looked at me and that suffering pained expression he'd given me earlier passed over his face.

I looked at InuYasha and he clearly knew what was going on, I was the only one left in the dark. "What's going on? What do the nano bots have to do with anything?"

All eyes were on me and my heart sunk. "The nano bots, they had some serious side effects Kagome. The caused intense dizziness and vomiting, and often times the end result was sudden and unexpected death." InuYasha's calm voice did not make this information any easier for me to accept.

"I'm going to die?" Well, now that solved a few problems.

End Chapter

AN: I know you hate me :) But it's such a good update! So much new information for you all to absorb! I hope it's not too confusing! I really love this chapter and I hope you all love it too! More to come soon! Review please! Also any questions feel free to ask!


	10. Chapter 10

So yeah long time no type! My bad! Life has been way too demanding and so I'm taking a few minutes off =] hopefully I can get a chapter done that fast! I really love this story and I really wish I had no life! Enjoy this chapter cause I know I enjoyed making it up as I went! Oh! And thanks for not sending me bunch of flames for not updating in like forever! :D Best readers ever are reading this right now!

Recap Chapter Nine:

"Kagome how long did it take you to recover after this was put in?" Sango asked me the look on her face hinting that she thought this was an extensive surgery.

"It took me about six hours, Sango at that time they had just begun using nano bots to speed up the healing process, it was an experimental option that I was willing to test out. It really worked, is that not what we use now days for healing? It was a genius technology." I was sure this was technology of the future and since I was in the future now I assumed it was being put to good use.

Sango didn't answer me instead she turned on her heel and stomped toward Koga. She turned him to face her and punched him square in the nose. "You idiot!" She screamed at him, I was holding her back now not sure if she was going to go for another hit.

"What the hell?" Koga looked at her as if she were crazy.

"She was healed with nano bots! How could you be so stupid!" I didn't understand and Koga suffered a moment of confusion then his face lit up with realization. He looked at me and that suffering pained expression he'd given me earlier passed over his face.

I looked at InuYasha and he clearly knew what was going on, I was the only one left in the dark. "What's going on? What do the nano bots have to do with anything?"

All eyes were on me and my heart sunk. "The nano bots, they had some serious side effects Kagome. The caused intense dizziness and vomiting, and often times the end result was sudden and unexpected death." InuYasha's calm voice did not make this information any easier for me to accept.

"I'm going to die?" Well, now that solved a few problems.

* * *

Chapter Ten Where's the Strength We Relied On?

"Oh shit!" InuYasha moved around the table towards me but I stopped him before he could reach me. "Kago—"

"How soon?" My voice was steady and I was trying my best to keep my face void of the emotions blaring in my head.

"Any day now." Koga stepped up to me, after 60 years I was no longer the Kagome he knew, instead I was just a body, the Kagome he knew was already dead and buried. I had buried her alive in this body that couldn't be saved. It was funny how our biggest fears always caught up to us somehow.

"Will it hurt?" he didn't expect my question, the look on his face made me drop my gaze to the floor. I wanted him to lie to me; I knew he wouldn't.

"Yes it will, actually I'm surprised you aren't in pain already." A hand reach out, I knew it was Koga's since InuYasha was still behind the desk, but he didn't get the chance to touch me. Instead InuYasha moved quickly around the desk and pushed him aside. His hands grabbed my shoulders desperately.

He gave me a good shake and I looked up at him giving him the attention he so desperately needed. "You aren't going to die, so stop this right now! Both of you!" He glared at Koga behind him. I frowned at him wondering where he got all this hope and determination and why he was wasting it on me. I must be dense I guess since I'm not understanding what that look on his face means.

I wished I could believe him, but I'd lost my will to hold on to another empty promise. Not that InuYasha was making promises, it sounded more like a guarantee. I had already tossed my hat in; I already knew my life was over, and I was ready to accept that defeat. "Maybe it's better this way InuYasha." I looked away from him, I couldn't stand the pained expression on his face and the way it was making my eyes well up with tears.

"You may be willing to give up but I'm not and when I save your ass you're going to have a lot of apologizing to do." His words were icy and his tone left a knot in my stomach. There was nothing I could do, he left before I could convince him that I was right.

I looked up and caught Sango frowning at me. I could see that she was torn between decisions, but I didn't know how she was going to react. She was still my best friend, but I didn't know her like I used to, I couldn't read her expressions anymore. I couldn't tell what she was going to do or what she was thinking.

The grimace on her face was a look I was getting used to, she stepped around Koga and made sure she had my eyes. "You are the only person in this world that I would follow to the end, and I will always be here for you, but he's right Kagome, and if you can't admit that then I don't think I can let him stay here, I can't let him keep putting himself on the line for you when you keep shutting him out." I wanted her to explain what she meant, why was she so concerned over InuYasha? Now I felt really dense, there was a piece to this big puzzle that I was missing and it was ruining the whole thing. I couldn't figure out what was going on; I couldn't figure out what that look on InuYasha's face had meant, and what Sango's warnings meant. She left following InuYasha to the back room of the lab.

"I guess I'm right back where I started, breaking things I can't fix." I didn't bother looking at Koga, I didn't want to see his face, and I knew he had the same masked disappointment as Sango.

"I'm sorry." His voice was soft almost silent. I wanted to make him take back those words, I didn't want his pity, but he continued before I could make him. "I'm sorry, but not because you are dying and I and unable to stop it. Kagome I'm sorry I lost hope. I lost it so long ago, and I shouldn't have let you go so easily, I didn't want to give up but I just couldn't find a reason to hope for your life to be restored. Even though I continued to search I was just wasting time without a clue and with no hope." He cleared his throat it was obvious tears were pooling in his eyes. "I never stopped loving you Kagome but I never had enough hope, I was never absolutely sure I was going to save you¸ not like he is now."

My head snapped up in shock, Koga was taking InuYasha's side too? I couldn't figure out what was going on everything was happening so fast and everyone was talking too much, "Koga, I don't want to die." I knew I didn't want to, I didn't want to go away, and I didn't want to give up, but in some ways had already done all three. Now tears were streaming down my cheeks, I didn't feel embarrassed by the emotion and Koga didn't mind it, he pulled me close and hugged me. I felt safe, like I was still a child that could be protected from the realities of life. My eyes watered till I'd soaked Koga's shirt with all my fear and regrets.

We rocked back and forth sharing the motion and a deep connecting sadness. He broke the silence "Do you remember when we first met?" there was a smile in his voice that was comforting. It slowed my tears.

"Yeah, you were wearing that god awful tie with the 'dna dinosaur' and trying to act intimidating. It was kinda cute actually." I smiled remembering the look on his face and the way he spoke in a deep tone to make me think he was some badass. Of course, the tie and the fact that he was dressed like the dork he was gave him away, and I'd spent most of my life around guys who thought they were badasses his act hadn't even fazed me.

He chuckled fondly recalling the memory we shared. "I think I burned that tie after you made fun of it the first time."

"There for a while I thought you'd burned them all, you didn't wear a tie again till the banquet." I smiled keeping him locked in my arms. I felt good being this close to him, my body felt right my heart was content, and even though my mind was sure this was a friends only hug I was trying to imagine this being more. I remembered being a couple, the cuteness of the whole thing seemed a bit odd for me, but it was comfortable. On the other hand InuYasha had been in the picture for barely a week and I felt like i was supposed to be wherever he was. My head was telling me I wanted him, my body heated up in response to the thought and my heart thudded in my chest. I tried to remind my organs that the kiss we'd shared had meant nothing, but of course they didn't care. I shook trying to clear my thoughts. It was wrong to be thinking about InuYasha while I was standing here with Koga, or that's what I was telling myself.

Koga tightened his arms around me sensing my distress, or maybe just thinking I was having another breakdown. Too bad it wasn't that simple. "Kagome, I want you to know, I'll do anything for you, if I can't save you I want to make you happy while I still have you." I felt his love radiating through his body, and I smiled. This simplicity is what I wanted.

"Thank you Koga." I pulled back finally deciding what had to be done. "You have to promise me something."

Frown lines etched into his face, "I'm not going to like this am i?"

"I'm not asking you to like it." I knew what this promise would mean for him and it would be hard, but I knew he would keep his word. "I'm going to die, but it doesn't have to happen here, and I don't want it to, so you are going to send me somewhere, I don't care where but I will not allow myself to destroy this planet." I felt him stiffen but I went on to justify myself. "I want the people I care about to live long happy lives, you each deserve it, and I will not let myself take that away from you." He stayed silent. "Koga, tell me you understand, tell me you'll help me?" My eyes met his and I held him there waiting on his consent.

He sighed finally dropping his head into my hair. "I do, and I promise, if you are going to die anyway I won't let it happen here, but" I felt his hesitation but he kept going after a moment. "I have one request."

"It better not be something—" He pulled back and covered my mouth with a hand. It was obvious I wasn't getting a choice on this request.

"I'm going with you, wherever it may be, and you can't stop me Kagome, not this time." He was bound and determined and now I was pissed off.

I stepped back my head shaking. I looked at him hard, everything I was doing I was doing for him and for Sango and for InuYasha, he was not going to come with me just to die along with me. "Absolutely not."

"Look, you can argue all you want, you're going to lose this time Kagome so tough shit." He took my arms and brushed his thumbs over my skin trying to calm me but I was in no mood to play by his rules.

"You have to let me go now Koga, you've been holding on too long, just let go." I was aggravated with myself as new tears pooled in my eyes, I hated my weakness. I couldn't stand another round of this frustration so I made my escape. I turned from him and headed in the opposite direction his office would have to do for an escape since I didn't really have any other options. I shut the door firmly behind me hoping he'd get the hint and leave me alone. I passed the desk and sat in the corner on the floor. I pulled my knees up to my chest and rested my cheek on my hands.

Hours passed as my tears fell in self-pity that I wasn't proud of, but they wouldn't go away like I wanted them to, there seemed to be an endless supply of them in my body that would keep me going for days. Once the sobs died down it was quiet.

The silence was welcome, the thoughts were not. My tears finally dried up again by the time I'd run through all my 'what if' scenarios. I spent a good portion of time wondering what it'd be like to be in a superman comic, actually having InuYasha come to my rescue and save me like the damsel in distress that I was, but no I knew that was only a fairy tale. Now I was left with only one train of thought. I couldn't help wondering if it would hurt. Blown to bits, yeah it looked great on TV when it was a building, car or even the bad guy, but I had never thought I'd have to experience it first-hand.

Over the roar in my head I could hear noises coming from the lab. I silenced my thoughts to listen wondering what was going on. When I heard shouting I had to assume InuYasha was back. Then the door flew open and he was standing in the door way, his broad shoulders and big body filled the frame blocking most of the light. "Get up I'm giving you a test."

I narrowed my eyes at the command I didn't move an inch. "No."

I heard his growl but I didn't flinch, I wasn't going to back down. Not unless he gave me one hell of a good reason. "Don't make me come over there."

"If you lay a finger on me you'll regret it." Holding his eyes I made sure he understood I wasn't going to be the first to back down.

He closed the door and crossed the room in three long strides. I braced myself waiting for him to haul me up and carry me into the other room. He did neither, and that worried me more. Instead he knelt down in front of me. "You've been in here for hours sulking it's time to get down to business." When I still refused to back down his eyes locked on mine hard. "Why are you so stubborn?"

His eyes were intense, I would have looked away, looked at anything but him but I couldn't, "There's no chance for me InuYasha, but there is for you, and Sango, and the rest of this world."

His frown made him look years older, what was worse was his hand that reached out to touch me but then he stopped himself and let it drop. He pulled himself together but his feelings were still written on his face. "Kagome, there's something you should probably know, something about me and you."

I knew where this was going, I knew exactly what he was going to say, and I knew I couldn't handle his words, and I didn't want to. "Koga and I are leaving, we're going somewhere so that everyone will be safe from me, and no you can't come. I don't want you to be anywhere near me."

That warning growl was back deep in his throat, his eyes flashed red something I'd not seen happen before and it sent shivers down my spine, clearly my words had worked, but he was more stubborn than I was ready to admit. "What I have to tell you may change your mind, oh and by the way you aren't going anywhere without me."

"You have no right—" He cut me off before I could make sure he knew I was serious.

"Actually as your mate I do." He was serious. There was no way I had heard him right, surely he was imagining something.

"You are so arrogant! What do you think I am? Stupid? We definitely are not—" I had to pause before I could repeat the word. "…mates. I am not your mate."

"Yes, you are." He gave me a moment. "Kagome where I come from our mating rituals are very different from yours, each male chooses only one female and when he's chosen he marks her as his with a kiss. Since you kissed back you accepted my claim. You are mine."

The long silence that followed only made my words louder. "You tricked me!" my fingers flew to my lips. "You lied!"

"I know, I couldn't believe myself, it wasn't fair to you, but there is something about you Kagome, I couldn't stop myself, I wanted you and I didn't want someone else to take you from me." His admission shocked me into silence.

I couldn't think, couldn't find words, and I couldn't process all this information. As much as I felt cheated, I also felt like I'd won a prize, this was what I'd want if my world wasn't coming to an end. This was an unexpected happy ending that would end all too soon. I was getting myself into trouble with my next question but I couldn't help it, I was curious. "Why me?"

He laughed shocking me more. "I don't regret my choice Kagome, you are the only one I ever want to kiss again, but I'm sorry for doing that without your knowledge. I should have asked your permission." He was very matter-of-fact and he seemed a bit possessive now, like my question meant I approved.

I didn't know what to do, I should have been outraged, but I just couldn't. I didn't even know InuYasha that well but I was sitting here with him ready to accept his apology. I sure as hell didn't know why, the only thing I did know was I liked that he wanted me. I was curious about this one mate thing, I wondered if there were any stipulations. "So you've never kissed another gir—umm female?"

My stomach knotted up before I even comprehended his silence. I wasn't his first mate. And I hated that it made my heart ache. Feeling sick I turned from him. "Sorry, not my business." I didn't want to be like that but I couldn't think of anything to say and the tears were burning in the back of my throat.

"Actually it is Kagome," I was shocked a little but InuYasha always seemed to do things I didn't expect. "You are my mate, and if you wish to know then I will tell you."

"I don't want to know." It was a lie, and I'd always been so good at lying, but this time InuYasha wasn't buying it.

"You deserve to know," He paused, reached out his hand like he was asking for my permission. I took his hand and he took it to his lips. "This for our kind is like a kiss among your people." He brushed his lips over the back of her fingers and somehow she felt it all over. Her body reacted to him like ice in boiling water. She melted. "She was nothing like you, well you have similar features. She had the same dark hair, among my kind it is a sacred color. Most are born with hair like mine."

I reached up to touch my still white hair; I wished it would return to its natural color. He continued ignoring my distraction with my hair. "She was lovely, but not like you are, she didn't shine the way you do." He pressed another kiss to my fingers reassuring me and my heart fluttered at the meaning of the action.

Was it even possible that after only a few short days he was feeling these things and seeing this shine? No one else had ever mentioned this ability to me. As much as it didn't seem possible, she let him go on more curious than jealous.

"Her name was Kikyo, she was not someone I wanted. I was promised to her and her to me and neither of us wanted it. It was for the approval of the _Merina_—that is what our aristocracy is called—it was supposed to prove to them that I was ready to take over the race when my father would pass into the night." He waited a minute making sure I was keeping up, and when I didn't have any questions he went on. "I only kissed her once, it was the day that we were publically mated in front of the whole _Merina_. It was like kissing ice, she didn't kiss back so she never accepted me, but I didn't say anything knowing the dishonor she would have received had everyone known.

"She blamed me for her misfortune, and for her getting stuck with me. She despised me, I tried to make it work for my father, but she hated me. It was over quickly, after only a decade she tried to have me killed and when that failed she tried to do the job herself. She faced treason and was banished to the crystal tower. I have no idea if she still lives there or not." He brushed her fingers with his lips again "She was nothing like you." And that time as he said the words I realized they were a praise.

"InuYasha? He glanced up at me his lips hovering over hand. I shivered at the primal look in his eyes.

"What is it Kagome?" His voice vibrated in his chest sounding like a purr in his throat as he said my name, I reveled in the glory of the sound, nothing had ever sounded more beautiful to my ears than the reverence in his voiced directed at me.

I swallowed hard; I knew what I was doing right? Nope, not even close. On the other hand that look he'd given me earlier now registered in my head. He loved me. Instantly I knew what felt like the right thing to do. And that was good enough for me. "Close your eyes." I murmured and he complied instantly. I pursed my lips hesitantly I sat up and leaned closer to him, his grip on my hand tightened a bit like he sensed my closeness. "I accept." I announced the words and as his eyes snapped open I pressed my lips into his.

He reacted instantly pulling me closer, but I barely had time to relish in the feeling of his soft lips or the way he kissed with his entire body not just his mouth. The door to the lab swung open, InuYasha was clearly reluctant to part, his growl reverberating in his chest. He released me gently meeting my eyes in silent possessiveness and turned to the intrusion, he kept me completely blocked behind his big body. I couldn't see who was standing there watching.

"What the hell do you think you're doing? Are you insane?" I couldn't help the relief when I heard Sango's voice. I didn't want Koga to find out quite like this, I wanted to tell him my way.

InuYasha relaxed above me and his pride was evident in his puffed up chest and even more so in his voice that shined with a smile. "Kagome accepted me."

I caught Sango's frown from around InuYasha's frame. "What do you mean?"

"Kagome is my mate." InuYasha stated clearly and proudly.

"InuYasha how could you? Kagome this isn't right! You have no idea what will happen if he changes, and if you—" Sango got cut off by a very serious growl.

"She is not going to die, so don't you dare try and take her away from me." I was starting to get confused, something didn't seem right about what was going on, and I hated not knowing why Sango wasn't happy for us. Well I could figure a few reasons, like my short life span and the fact that I was going to be gone very soon leaving InuYasha behind, and momentarily that didn't sit well with me. I questioned myself but my thoughts were stopped short, I needed to pay attention to what was going on so I wouldn't be so lost.

"InuYasha you just can't, your race needs you and if you change things could go very wrong." I saw Sango move closer trying to get to me, but InuYasha wasn't letting anyone near his new mate.

"InuYasha, what is she talking about? Why would you change?" I took his arm getting his attention.

He took my hand and placed a firm kiss on my knuckles, I heard Sango's gasp but I still didn't know what was going on, not completely. "The race has my brother, and I have what I need." His eyes were locked on mine and I almost smiled but I was still unsure.

"What is she talking about? What will happen to you when I die?" I knew he didn't like me saying it that way but he wasn't about to growl at me.

"Don't Kagome, it's too late now anyway, I've already become biologically connected." InuYasha turned to Sango and I noticed her surprise, but what did it all mean?

"It can't be true." Sango stammered coming closer looking at InuYasha's chest.

"Are you calling me a liar?" InuYasha rose to his full height and I gasped. There was something on his back that I hadn't noticed before but I could see it not glowing through his thin shirt.

"Prove it." Obviously Sango couldn't see what I could because whatever was going on under there was clearly visible. He turned giver her his back and even though she could likely see it as I had he swept the cotton up over his head and pulled his hair to the side. The mark was clear as day a small protrusion in between his shoulder blades.

"What is it?" I asked from the floor seeing the glow from the mark through his chest.

"It's my heart Kagome." Unlike hers his heart rested in the center of his chest and was glowing a brilliant orange, on his back a small ridge had formed where his spine had shifted to make room for the no longer dormant organ.

"Kagome if you die his heart will too, and then his body won't live long enough to get him home for a proper ceremony." InuYasha hissed at Sango but she didn't seem to care. "His species will die off because no one will be able to continue the royal line."

"InuYasha maybe—"

"Stay out of this Kagome," InuYasha silenced me and I would have objected but I didn't want to make my suggestion anyway. "Sango, don't worry, I have a plan, and I think I'm right. There's an easy way to confirm but I'm sure she'll be fine."

"Are you talking about the bots? Or the bomb?" Sango raised an eyebrow at him pinning him with the question.

"The bots, but don't think I won't find a way to fix the bomb issue either." InuYasha was all the confidence and determination I was lacking, and I respected the hell out of that. I even felt like I could believe he was going to achieve his goal and save me. Hope was a very alluring emotion, but I think it was the love that had me back in the game.

I stood up moving toward Sango. "You were right Sango, about what you said earlier, you were right when you said he was right, so please give him a chance. I want to live."

Sango frowned at me, likely not enjoying her words coming back to bite her in the ass. "It's not my decision but if this blows up in your face don't expect me not to say I told you so." Sango left closing the door sharply behind her and I felt my shoulders sag, I was getting tired of tears but they just kept becoming necessary.

InuYasha caught the emotion and distress and pulled me into his chest. "She's just worried about both of us, it's not that she's angry she just can't stand the fact that she may lose us both." He kept on trying to soothe me but Sango's angered face kept tormenting me. Eventually the glow of his chest distracted me enough to calm me down. I relaxed into his arms.

"Tell me that's not what I think it is." Koga's voice was incredulous as he stared at the mark that was clearly visible on InuYasha's back.

InuYasha let me go and turned to expose his glowing chest which he smugly displayed for the other male. "What do you think it is?"

"God Kagome how could you?" Koga's words were so harsh his tone ashamed and I felt the words hit me like a brick wall.

Aggression tensed in InuYasha's shoulders and in a matter of seconds he was across the room with Koga pushed against the door frame before I got the chance to compose myself. "Take it back and apologize, this is not her fault. She's been through enough she doesn't need your shit too." InuYasha growled.

"Crap, does Sango know?" Somehow even through the obvious pain that InuYasha was causing Koga was still concentrating on me.

When InuYasha put more pressure on his chest I moved forward. "InuYasha enough." Again one small touch on his shoulder gained his attention. He snapped his head around and caught my hand and after a gentle kiss over my fingers he stepped away from Koga in order to get closer to me.

"So this is what you've chosen?" Koga seemed hurt, but he was determined to make me feel ashamed, I wasn't going to back down this time, not with InuYasha beside me and my mind made up.

"Yes he is my choice, and yes Sango knows. If you want someone to complain to go find her she's just as upset. While you do that InuYasha is going to run a test, and fix me." I believed the words I said and that made it easier to walk away from Koga and go back into the lab. "So what is this test about?

"Well like Koga said earlier you should already be in pain and since you aren't I'm wondering if maybe something happened and the Nano bots got inoculated. There's a simple test we can run to see if the Nano bots are still inside you." InuYasha pulled a vial of clear liquid off the counter and found a needle in a cabinet. The nice thing about Koga's lab was everything was marked well.

"Um, that's a big needle." I watched as he gathered a few other things.

"Yeah and it's going to hurt. I'm sorry but it's necessary." InuYasha was grim not liking the idea of causing me pain any more than I was liking the idea of having that needle in my arm.

I started to roll up my sleeve giving him plenty of space and he stopped me. Looking up his look darkened. "Wait, where is that going?"

"You'll have to lie down." He walked me over to a metal operating table. "I'm sorry Kagome. I hate this."

I knew the terror on my face was obvious but I couldn't control the look. I was starting to panic, even though I trusted InuYasha I was never in the mood to play with needles. "Where?"

"Spinal tap." He barely let the words out.

I tensed up immediately. "Shit." He instructed me to lie down on my side facing away from him. "Let's get this over with I guess." I ground my teeth together my body as rigid and hard as the table I was upon.

I flinched at the cold swab of alcohol he used to clean the area he was planning on poking my flesh. He took my hand brushing his lips over my knuckles before he was quite behind me for a long moment getting the fluid and the needle ready. "Small pinch." Was the only warning I received. I clenched my jaw and held in the scream that welled up in my throat. The agony seared through my body but it was over with on final burst of stars behind my eyelids. He cleaned the entry spot with another alcohol swab and then came around to my front.

"I don't like that expression on your face." He admitted smoothing his thumb over my knitted eyebrows. "I don't like knowing I caused it." His breath was warm on my cheek and when I opened my eyes finally he gave me a warm peck on the lips. "Rest for a while, don't try moving." He turned from me and found a blanket. Draping it over my body he returned to leaning over my face.

"How long till we know?" I kept still as he advised and my body was reacting well to the itching that was shooting through my veins.

"A day or two depends on how long the dye moves through your body." He brushed my hair from my face smoothing it down my back. "You should get some rest, there was a sofa in Koga's office. Let me know when you feel comfortable enough to let me move you?"

I nodded still needing time to adjust to the itch in my skin. I wanted to scratch at my arms, legs, stomach, neck but I was afraid to move, afraid to cause myself more pain. I reached out to him when I was finally ready and he gently lifted me from the metal table, my body went limp in his arms and he carried me with ease. The couch was the softest of beds I had ever had and as I became one with the soft cushions I released a sigh. My body went lax and as I drifted off I heard InuYasha's voice. "Good night and sleep well my Kagome." There was a smile in his voice and I loved that I was going to wake up and find him still here by my side, because I knew he wouldn't leave me. Not ever.

End Chapter

AN: SO close to the end! I almost can't wait for it to happen! As much as I enjoy this story I'll be so happy to have completed this story, it will be my pride and joy! Leave me a review and as always thank you for reading =]e reahh


	11. Chapter 11

Another update! Huzzah! Life has been good to me recently and so here is me being good to you! Enjoy and review! =]

Disclaimer: Don't own Inu n'co

Chapter 11 Back to Square One

As I slowly gained consciousness over my body I knew something was wrong. My ears picked up on worried voices and hard words. My eyes snapped open and I searched frantically for InuYasha sure something had gone wrong while I was sleeping and he was in trouble. Scanning the room I found I was alone and so I followed the sounds of the voices into the lab. "What's going on?" I locked my eyes on InuYasha checking him for injuries but he looked fine. I did the same for Koga and Sango but they were both in similar condition. Other than their rigid stances and frowning faces nothing appeared to be wrong.

"You're green instead of blue." A new voice announced from somewhere off to the side of me.

My eyes spotted the new arrival and I looked between him and my friends askance. "I'm what?" I glared at him, "And who are you?"

"Miroku, I'm Koga's lab assistant and like I said you're green, look for yourself." He pointed to my arms and I slowly looked down suddenly worried.

"Oh…" My skin was tinged a hunter green that didn't look healthy, I imagined what I looked like with my silver hair and now green skin, probably like an alien. I stopped my thoughts reminding myself that InuYasha was an alien and he looked normal enough, especially compared to me. "What's wrong with me?"

"Nothing's wrong with you!" Sango protested as she came over to me. She took my hands and pulled them down looking with me at my green tinged skin. "Those are the nano bots."

"So they're alive in me still?" I frowned looking over at InuYasha but he didn't seem as distraught as I thought he might, he wasn't looking directly at me, instead his eyes were scanning my skin taking in the green hue. I hid my bare arms behind my back not liking the look on his face, or the way he was grimacing.

"We don't know, something's wrong, they should have turned blue, but don't worry this could be a good sign." Sango seemed to be over our little tiff this new hope shining in her eyes. I liked it very much and it gave me a little hope.

"I suppose you have a theory?" I didn't like being out of the loop and there was obviously something I didn't know. Had they learned something important while I'd been asleep? How long had I been asleep?

"The nano bots are definitely alive, but something's different, they aren't active or something, like they've been inoculated. If we can find out what caused it then maybe we can use nano bot technology in the future." Koga's words were excited, but he paused to think for a long moment before continuing. "Of course we'll have to find out whether they'll still do their jobs."

"Well that's just great, but more importantly, when am I going to look normal again?" I had never felt uncomfortable in my own body before but with my unnatural silver hair and my now green tinged skin I was in need of some normalcy.

"Well, it shouldn't be more than 24 hours but since this isn't a normal reaction we won't know for sure." Koga offered, he too seemed to be back on talking terms with me, though I could tell by the tight lines of his face that he was still thinking about what had transpired in his office earlier.

I wondered again at how long I'd been asleep. I wish there were a window somewhere so I could see outside. "Don't worry Kagome, I'm sure it'll be fine, you'll be back to normal soon." Sango gave me a small smile.

"Except my hair," I muttered fingering the silver strands behind my back.

"Actually that will be fixed soon too." InuYasha crossed the room and took my arms from behind my back. He took my hands and squeezed them softly. "My brother is on his way, he's agreed to help us find a way to resolve the bomb issue. And knowing my brother he won't come empty handed. We can fix your hair as soon as he gets here." He brushed the soft bangs from my face and placed a light kiss to my forehead.

"Thank god." I murmured, curious as to how they'd convinced Sesshomaru to come help me. It must have been Sango, she had a way of getting people to see things her way.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to run a simple test." It was Miroku's voice that came around InuYasha's large frame.

I moved around so to see him better. "What kind of test?"

"I want to see if the nano bots still function properly." Miroku shrugged making it seem like an obvious answer.

"Okay, how are you going to do that?" I stepped fully around InuYasha and moved toward Miroku, I hoped it was a damn good idea.

"Well it'd be best if we did this without a biased party in attendance." Miroku admitted.

I frowned unsure of what he meant, but Koga filled in the blanks for me. "He wants the rest of us to leave."

"Not going to happen." InuYasha answered for me, I judged the look on his face debating my chances of winning, but it looked like I'd need something to distract him away from this subject before he went postal.

"Maybe we should take a break from all of this for a while. I could really use something to eat." I decided this could wait for at least a few hours, it ended up waiting two weeks. We'd all been so stressed out lately that even the time clock counting down in my body wasn't enough to cast a shadow over our day. We were careful where we went with my green skin and silver hair InuYasha was sure to keep me covered up so no one would look at me. Not that anyone cared, except me of course.

Miroku made an interesting addition to our group, when he wasn't arguing with InuYasha he was flirting with Sango and neither of them seemed to like it very much, but I found it immensely amusing because it distracted away from my predicament. Koga was mostly quiet and reserved I knew he was still upset over my decisions but I wasn't going to apologize, I couldn't stop my feelings and I didn't want to have to explain myself. Even though the change of heart had been sudden, my mind had already chosen InuYasha, there was nothing that would change that either.

When Sesshomaru arrived the first thing on the agenda was fixing my hair, and when I had my dark tresses back I couldn't have been happier. InuYasha seemed to approve as well. By then my skin had also returned to normal which meant I was completely back to being just me again. We tried endless tests but never the one Miroku had suggested on that first day. Every time the subject was breeched InuYasha turned it down and the more time that passed the more desperate I became.

I weighed my options and knew I had to do something. I had to have one ally in this so I spoke to Koga alone for the first time in two weeks. "We need to talk." I pulled him aside and just to be safe checked to see that InuYasha was busy.

"What? Having second thoughts?" Koga was being a real shit and he was doing it on purpose, but I couldn't help feeling bad for him. He'd been betrayed by me, after all this time he'd spent trying to save me and I wasn't able to love him like I had.

"No, stop being petty." I snapped unable to control myself. "How well do you know Miroku?"

Koga frowned at me momentarily. "What do you mean?"

"I mean I'm going to let him do whatever it is he's planning but I need to know that you trust him, I trust your judgment, so tell me you trust him." I kept checking around us making sure everyone hadn't noticed our little huddle.

Koga looked over at Miroku then back at me. "Indefinitely." That was all I needed to know I was going to take this chance, but first I had to get InuYasha out of here.

"InuYasha? Would you do something for me?" I crossed the room to him giving him a warm smile and hating myself for my poker face.

"Sure, what is it?" His face was soft as he looked down at me, trusting me completely.

"I'm hungry, would you go get me something to eat?" I knew I was pushing my luck but he didn't seem to notice the farce.

"Yeah I could use some chow too if you're going." Miroku added helping me with my little lie without knowing it.

I could tell he was trying to remember the last time he saw me eat and my tummy gave a soft rumble to help my cause. He instantly gave in. "I'll be back, don't do anything stupid." He turned and spotted Sango. "Keep her safe." He pecked my cheek with a light kiss and left.

I waited and counted to ten giving him plenty of time to get outside and away from the building and then turned to Miroku. "What was your idea?"

"Kagome, what are you doing?" Sango gave me a wary look coming over to grab my arm. "Are you stupid? He'll find out."

I frowned at her. "Yes, I am, and I know he will, but at least I know what has to be done. I know he won't be happy with me but I need to know more than he needs to protect me. I'll be fine, I trust Koga and he says Miroku is fine, I'm doing this." I felt like I should have a head of fiery red hair for as stubborn as I was acting lately, but this was my life.

Sango didn't give me another glare instead she turned her attention to Miroku. "If you do anything I don't like you won't get the chance to face InuYasha's wrath." Her voice was dangerous but I liked that she was protecting me and allowing me to make my own decisions.

"Maybe you should go too." Miroku offered. "I have only one way to do this and it's not going to be pain free."

"I stay, you will tell me what's going on as it happens, and if I say stop you are going to listen to me." Sango was so serious I was afraid even if Miroku didn't seem to flinch at her words.

"I think you're going to be sorely disappointed, because this is Kagome's decision not yours and I'm not going to cause her pain just to hear her scream." Miroku replied simply, I like the way he handled Sango's anger, it gave me a reason to trust him. I wasn't comforted by his words though.

"Let's get this done before he gets back." I say referring to InuYasha.

"Sounds good, if you'd come over here and lay down." Miroku motion to the metal exam table and went to an overhead cabinet to pull out some bottles and a fresh packet of utensils. "The nano bots work on three different levels, deep muscle, organ, and epidural. We need to test all three levels to make sure they are responsive."

"You're going to cut her open and see if the nano bots fix her? Isn't that risky?" Sango was there beside me holding my hand but I was trying my best to be unresponsive.

"Well yeah it's risky, but I'm pretty sure the nano bots are still working." Miroku sounded confident, and I hoped he was right.

"So you really think they got inoculated somehow?" Sango asked but didn't give him a chance to answer. "That's really stupid you know, what could possibly have inoculated them? It's not like we gave her anything and we didn't put her through any kind of machine that has that kind of power."

"I don't know how it happened, but I do know that she isn't feeling any pain at all, and the dye didn't give us the right color so something is different." Miroku answered, he motioned again for the metal table and I noticed Sesshomaru move over to guard the door like InuYasha would sense my danger and come running through the door at any second.

"Um…" I looked behind me at Koga but he wasn't making a move, and Sango next to me gave my fingers a reassuring squeeze. I nodded and got myself up onto the table. I lie down but I was extremely tense, as solid as the metal beneath me.

"Relax." Miroku told me as he gently pulled up my shirt to reveal my stomach. "I'm going to numb you up here a bit, but be prepared for pain, I can't numb you all the way, but this will help a little."

I held my breath and waited for the twinge of pain that would come with the needle. It hit right above my right hip and I jumped a little, but Sango was there next to me holding my hand and I felt myself relax a little.

"Koga would you come hold her, I don't want to mess this up." Miroku smiled down at me reassuringly but I wasn't comforted.

"Stay calm Kagome, it'll be alright." Koga brushed my hair momentarily before placing his hands on my shoulders, the small amount of pressure was just the beginning. "Sango take her legs would you?" Sango nodded resolutely and then I felt her weight on my thighs.

"Remember, relax. It'll be over before you know it and then it'll just be a bad memory." Miroku's voice was calming and I took a deep breath and closed my eyes.

"Okay, get it over with." I muttered, Miroku's head bent over me and I saw a familiar glint of a scalpel, my head swam with panic and I closed my eyes against the hard lights above me, but I never felt any pain. I didn't get the chance to.

"If you touch her with that thing you're as good as dead." InuYasha's voice was seething and my eyes snapped open as my head turned to find him. He must have realized this was the first time we'd been apart since I came here and thought it was strange that I was sending him alone instead of going with him. Or maybe he'd just come back to ask me what I wanted. Either way I was in deep shit now and if looks could kill I'd already be dead. Koga and Sango let me go and I sat up uneasily. I hated being deceitful but I needed to know, I was running out of time.

"InuYasha, please we need to find out, it's the only way." I swung my legs over the side of the metal table and felt an odd sensation in my side, or rather lack of feeling.

"Not like that you don't, you don't know how the nano bots are going to react, and they may not heal you, did you think about that?" InuYasha was halfway across the room and even though he sounded angry his eyes were more worried than anything.

"We can't wait any longer, I have 8 days, less than that. We can't wait till I fall and manage to hurt myself to find out. I have to know." I tried to get up but instead he came to me.

"InuYasha I think she's right, I mean if the nano bots are still working and we can test that then maybe we can use that acid formula without hurting her permanently." Koga offered his idea, one that I knew had been brewing since we'd found that the nano bots weren't just going to kill me, but instead live inside of me peacefully.

InuYasha glanced up momentarily at Koga, I couldn't tell if he was seriously thinking about letting me go through with this, or trying to think of a way to convince me not to. "Okay, we do this, but we do it slow. One small cut first to see the response, I'll not allow them to just cut you open and leave it all to chance."

I nodded at him accepting his conditions, I liked it better this way anyway, I wanted him to be here and watch over me. "Let's get this done then."

Still numb, I lie back down and feel the pressure where Miroku presses on my hip. I frown and his finger's move away from my skin. "Can you feel that?"

I lift my head and see he's got his hand pressing down a few inches higher than where I last felt him touch. "Nope, so this one isn't going to hurt?"

"No, you won't feel a thing." Miroku smiled and I felt relief wash over me. Sango took my hand and gave it a squeeze. I could sense her ease from her previous discomfort. InuYasha was by my shoulder his hand playing in my hair, I knew Sesshomaru was off in the distance but close enough to see the results as they happened. Koga had backed up a bit but I could still see his face light up with excitement and I wondered if that meant Miroku had made the incision.

"Miroku?" Sango's voice was worried above me, I wanted to know what was going on.

"Give them a moment." Koga's voice suggested and I could just imagine what was happening, nothing.

I closed my eyes to hide my disappointment. "What now?"

"Nothing we can do, we'll just have to find another way." Miroku didn't sound disappointed just chagrinned

Let's get this bandaged and we can try something new, Sesshomaru any comments?" InuYasha asked and I felt his hands on my stomach.

"Don't patch her up just yet." Sesshomaru didn't speak much but when he did everyone listened, even InuYasha. Sesshomaru was standing over me when I opened my eyes. "Still no feeling?" He asked as his fingers pressed on my flesh. I shook my head. "Don't sew her up, you used 100 ccs?"

"Yes. What are you thinking?" Miroku asked moving to a cabinet to collect some bandages.

"Just give it some time." Sesshomaru moved away from me and Miroku cleaned up the six inch wound on the right side of my stomach.

"Okay you can get up now." Miroku put his hand on my shoulder and helped me to sit up.

I pulled my shirt back into place and looked at InuYasha. "I really am hungry. Let's go get us something to eat." We all agreed on getting Chinese, and were sitting in the nearby park eating with our chop sticks when the feeling in my side returned. It tingled at first and I brushed my finger over the bandage through my shirt. One minute everything was fine—we were talking and laughing and forgetting the world as we knew it—the next thing I knew I was in immense pain, the cut above my hip burning like it was on fire. It was like the space travel all over again, I dropped my chopsticks and the square container of rice I'd been eating and I tried to stand. By now I had everyone's attention but all I could think about was not throwing up.

"InuYasha…" I lost my breath as I doubled over in pain.

"What's wrong with her?" I heard Sango's panic above the roar in my head. "Kagome! InuYasha? What are you doing?"

I was aware of hands on me, someone picked me up and laid me out flat which I automatically responded to by curling in on myself. I flinched through my withering as the bandage over my cut was removed. Whatever they saw caused silence and I tried opening my eyes instead I only managed to blink my eyes trying to understand what I'd missed in my agony. "They're fixing her." Miroku breathed above my head awe in his tone.

"They're hurting her!" Sango voice was tense, there was no doubt she was troubled by the discomfort smeared over my features.

The pain finally eased up the nausea didn't seem to go away, but I was able to sit up and look for myself. My side was scar free and pain free now that the process had finished out, and when I looked around me at my friends I dreaded my next question. "What does this mean?"

No one answered me until we were all back inside Koga's lab, and I thought for a moment that maybe they hadn't heard me and I was getting ready to ask again when finally I was answered.

"It means that the acid plan is out, there's no way we're cutting you open if it's going to hurt like that." InuYasha's voice was firm and no one contradicted him outright.

"Well…" Miroku's voice trailed for a moment, and he stepped back at InuYasha's glare. "Just hear me out."

"InuYasha, I want to hear." My voice held power I didn't know I had, but it seemed every time I voiced my opinion he let me win. I don't know if it was because I was going to die soon, or because he respected my wishes, but I liked knowing he'd let me do things my way.

"If we put her into a medicated coma we can do the procedure without causing her pain, and then just wait it out till she's healed up like normal." Miroku explained.

"We can't use the acid on her if the nano bots can't heal her, she'll die before she heals." Koga interjected.

"Is there any way to alter her pain receptors?" Sango wondered aloud, trying to find another solution.

"I doubt we could come up with anything in time, we can't numb her up since we know that it also numbs the bots, maybe we should test an anesthetic, put her under and see if the bots heal her up." Koga looked at InuYasha careful with his words.

"I think we should try it." Miroku took Koga's side but I knew it was a good idea to try even if the growl that came out of InuYasha meant he didn't agree. "We can make it a very small incision, nothing that will be terribly painful for her, like a paper cut or a skinned knee."

"InuYasha, don't be stupid, you know it's a good idea." Sesshomaru gave his opinion regally taking Koga's side.

"No, it's not a good idea, it wasn't the cut that caused her pain, it was the nano bots, it doesn't matter how big or small the injury is, it's still going to hurt to heal her." InuYasha gave his opinion with no second option. He wasn't letting them cut me open again, no matter what I said to try and persuade him.

"Are we just going to wait till she accidentally trips and falls down a flight of stairs then?" I was impressed to hear Sango voicing this question.

"Are you going to push her?" InuYasha faced off with her but I knew he didn't pose much of a threat, and Sango didn't appear to be worried.

"No, but who's to say it wouldn't happen?" Sango held her ground even when he stepped toward her.

"You are on dangerous grounds here." He seethed and I almost felt the need to step in. Sango held her own though and she said something that wasn't quite heard before InuYasha backed off a step.

I wondered what was said, but whatever she had said had clearly changed his mind, even if it was reluctantly. "As long as it's okay with you, then you can go through with it."

"Thank you, let's get this done then." I turned to Koga, "You don't happen to have a more comfortable exam table do you? I don't think my back can handle another round on that metal one."

Sesshomaru was able to conjure up a soft gurney that he had rolled into Koga's lab and it wasn't much longer before everything was hooked up and ready and I was lying back looking up at everyone grouped around me.

InuYasha decided for me that they were only going to prick my finger just enough to make it bleed. It seemed silly now that they were putting me under in order to do what most diabetics had done daily, but we'd do things InuYasha's way to keep him from going crazy.

"Okay Kagome, if you would count backwards from ten" Miroku had me all hooked up to a monitor that beeped like the ones I'd seen on tv, and now he was placing a mask over my mouth and nose. I counted like he'd asked but didn't get past eight.

The first thing I felt when I came to was the reeling in my stomach and the need to throw up over powered my need to orient myself before trying to move. I jackknifed on the gurney and it shifted under me, and the moment I could see what was going on around me I emptied my stomach onto the floor. The pain was only a passing wink, my finger burned for a long second and then it was over. I silently thanked InuYasha for the small prick and then allowed myself to cry.

"You alright?" I was surprised by Sesshomaru's voice and then turned to see him sitting there next to me in a chair that hadn't been in the room before.

"The nano bots are causing the pain, there's no way to fix it, and eventually they're going to kill me, the more I get hurt the faster they do their job." I wiped my mouth wishing I had a tooth brush and tooth paste. Sesshomaru and I were alone, and it didn't appear that anyone had heard me wake up. "Where is everyone?"

"Sleeping." Sesshomaru was as talkative as usual. "How can you be sure it's the nano bots causing the pain?"

I shrugged momentarily and thought about my reasoning. "On my trip back to Earth, I was in pain like this—nauseous, my insides were eating away at me making me feel like I feel now—it must have been the bots. I guess that means that the ship must have inoculated them somehow. When InuYasha gave me that sedative it helped but now that the bots are being active again they are causing the same pain again, which can only mean they are going to kill me. Right?" I really wanted him to contradict my words, to give me some false hope, but he was only silent.

"I'll go tell the other's you are awake, I'll give you enough time to clean yourself up if you want." He rose from his seat. "You are a fine female, it would be a shame to lose you as a sister."

He was gone before I could express my gratitude, I couldn't believe he saw me in such a way, it filled my eyes with more tears. I didn't have much time so I rushed to quickly sop up the mess I'd made on the floor. I pitched the blanket I'd used as a mop into an empty trash bin. I watched as my hands shook and felt my body tremble along with them. I was going to have to live with the fact that I was dying all over again.

"Kagome?" InuYasha was there as I turned to face him he already knew the answer to the questions they had. "We'll figure something else out." He pulled me into his arms his warm embrace trapping my shaking limbs.

"Back to square one again." I murmured, I didn't know if Sesshomaru had said anything about what I'd told him, if he'd voiced my opinion on the nano bots, but it was time to give up and head somewhere safe to die. I was down to six days and I wasn't taking another 5 days to make up my mind.

End Chapter

AN: Pretty quick update for me I think : ) Hope everyone liked it I'm almost finished and I'm sooooo excited! Leave a review and tell me what you thought!


End file.
